Weld County authorizes eminent domain to acquire land for Bridge 1946½ replacement

The Weld County Board of County Commissioners on March 4 authorized the county attorney to file eminent domain proceedings to acquire two parcels from Little Thompson Ranch LLC needed to replace Bridge 1946½ along a key county route.

Assistant County Attorney Adria Schiel told the board that the county has worked with the property owner for years, has made offers and that the project qualifies as a public use under Colorado statute. Public Works staff said the bridge — built in 1960 and carrying more than 3,000 vehicles a day — was assigned an emergency repair finding in the state inspection program that must be addressed by Dec. 31, 2027.

Curtis Hall, director of Public Works, said staff has secured two state bridge grants totaling $3 million and that design work was substantially complete by May 2025. Hall recommended proceeding with full replacement rather than temporary repairs, which he said would cost about $2 million and extend the structure's life by only about five years.

A county right‑of‑way consultant, Mitch Hough of Western States Land Services, described the appraisal process and…