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Daviess County inspection finds two bridges in poor condition, recommends phasing out railroad flat‑car spans
Summary
A county consultant told Daviess County commissioners that 126 county bridges were inspected; two are now rated poor and seven were prioritized for replacement (five are railroad flat‑car spans). The consultant recommended phasing out flat‑car bridges because new state inspection rules raise long‑term costs.
Ronald Reos, bridge inspection department manager at SJCA, told Daviess County commissioners on April 14 that SJCA inspected all 126 county bridges in 2025 and identified two now rated in poor condition.
Reos said the county’s current inventory is roughly 34% in good condition, 64% fair and 2% poor. He highlighted that five bridge types are common in the county — including 37 concrete channel‑beam bridges and 10 railroad flat‑car bridges — and recommended prioritizing seven bridges for replacement. “The highway department is doing a good job at maintaining stuff which saves the county money,” Reos said, adding that phasing out railroad flat‑car bridges would improve the county’s overall ratings.
Why it matters: federal bridge inspection funding and reimbursements require the county to remain in compliance; Reos said the inspection program is funded about 80% by federal dollars, with the county covering the remaining ~20%. Changes in state inspection codes have increased the number of flat‑car spans that require 12‑month inspections; Reos said the county’s count of such structures rose from one to 11 under the new rules, imposing added inspection costs and routine maintenance work.
Details: SJCA recommended seven bridges for replacement; five are railroad flat‑car spans, which Reos described as a lower‑cost but shorter‑lived strategy because they are typically purchased used. Several box‑beam bridges were also flagged for future attention because they typically have a shorter remaining service life than newer alternatives. Reos told commissioners that posted bridges (those with load postings) are a point of concern: the county has 36 posted bridges — about 29% of the total — which he said is roughly two‑and‑a‑half times the state average.
Commissioners were informed that one of the two bridges rated poor is already contracted for replacement with construction expected to begin in the summer and a September build window mentioned by staff; the other damaged culvert/cover has been converted to a concrete box and is staged for replacement. The board did not adopt a funding package at this meeting but discussed spreading recommended replacements over multiple years to limit short‑term budget impacts.
The next steps: SJCA recommended that county highway staff and commissioners plan a phased replacement schedule, phase out railroad flat‑car spans to reduce future inspection and maintenance costs, and continue monitoring posted bridges. Commissioners did not vote on an omnibus bridge replacement funding plan at this meeting.
