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Engineer Sarah Odden says Chapel Lane bridge replacement remains a top priority after SD DOT grant denial
Summary
City engineers told the Public Works Committee the Chapel Lane bridge — the only access for more than 500 properties — is bid-ready but the city’s SD DOT bridge grant application was denied; staff plans to reapply in January 2027 after increasing the local match and now having required permits.
Engineer Sarah Odden told the Rapid City Public Works Committee on April 14 that the Chapel Lane bridge replacement remains a top priority for city staff, but the project lost out in this funding cycle of the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SD DOT) bridge program and will be re-filed in January 2027.
Odden said the bridge serves as the only point of access for more than 500 properties and that load restrictions imposed last year continue to disrupt deliveries, emergency access and daily routines for residents. “We understand that these impacts have been disruptive,” Odden said, adding the city recognizes the neighborhood’s concerns and is committed to keeping residents informed.
The city’s application did not receive one of the 10 awards this cycle; staff reported there were 57 applicants. Odden said the submission lost points because bid-ready plans and permits were not in hand at time of application as a result of federal permitting delays. She told the committee that the city now has the required permits and bid-ready plans, and staff will increase the proposed local match from 20% to 30% to improve the project’s score on the next SD DOT round. “Together these changes are expected to move our score up considerably in the next funding cycle,” Odden said.
Committee member Kevin asked for cost context; staff said the bridge repair is about $8 million and noted the city’s one-year street maintenance budget is roughly $4 million. Odden and other staff warned that fully funding the bridge from city reserves would likely force the city to delay about two years’ worth of street rehabilitation projects. “To put that in perspective, two full years of street rehab projects would be put on hold to fund this bridge,” Odden said.
Council members and staff discussed interim construction workarounds used by contractors — for example, mobile concrete mixing on one side of the structure and hauling small loads across the bridge — and reiterated that federal load-rating rules require the current derating until the bridge is replaced. John emphasized the bridge’s condition and age in argument for replacement: “The bridge needs to be replaced. It’s 52 years old,” he said.
Staff said limited site preparation, including tree removal needed ahead of construction, has already begun so the project is ready to proceed when funding is secured. Odden also announced a public town hall for Chapel Valley residents scheduled for the evening of April 14 in council chambers to explain impacts and answer questions.
The committee asked staff to continue exploring other federal grants and internal funding options while weighing the trade-off between using local dollars now and preserving eligibility for larger state match programs. After questions and discussion, the committee voted to acknowledge the Chapel Lane update; the motion passed.
What’s next: staff will reapply to the SD DOT bridge improvement program in January 2027 after increasing the city match and relying on the newly obtained permits and bid-ready plans. Any decision to fund the project entirely from city reserves would be discussed as a separate funding action and could require reprioritizing street maintenance work.
