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U.S. Forest Service outlines temporary-bridge bids, salvage plans and hiring constraints
Summary
A U.S. Forest Service official updated commissioners on recovery projects including two temporary 'acro' bridges going to bid, engineering work for Lake Creek Bridge, fuels-thinning and Good Neighbor Authority timber sales, salvage planning tied to NEPA needs, and staffing limits for seasonal crews.
A U.S. Forest Service official briefed Lincoln County commissioners on May 6 about ongoing recovery and forest‑management work following high‑water and wildfire impacts.
The service is preparing two temporary, highway‑loaded "acro" bridges for upper/lower Granite and Ramsey to restore access while permanent funding is pursued with federal highways. The official said bids for the temporary bridges were scheduled to go out by May 13 and that installation and contractor scheduling will likely run through the summer.
Engineering assessment money will be awarded soon for Lake Creek Bridge to determine needed repairs. Road and fuels work already underway includes county‑prioritized road improvements and thinning crews funded through a National Forest Foundation contract; thinning and piling work is being coordinated with the state for longer‑term fuels management contracts.
Officials described several Good Neighbor Authority projects (including Pine Flats) and expected multiple timber‑sale packages this year, with an estimated 56–60 million board feet targeted overall and 5–7 million board feet of additional salvage volume identified. The service said two salvage projects in the Three Rivers district (including one near Eureka) will require stand‑alone NEPA analysis; the rest can proceed through programmatic or administrative pathways.
The official explained NEPA as the National Environmental Policy Act and said environmental compliance frameworks are being applied as needed. Staffing constraints were also discussed: the forest has approval to hire about 15 seasonals distributed across units, and the agency is starting to advertise a small number of permanent positions.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about project locations, access routes, and repair timing. The official said many projects are complex, may require multi‑year funding for permanent fixes, and will proceed as contractors, federal fund timing and environmental reviews permit.
Next steps: bridge bids go out, engineering assessments will be awarded, and the Forest Service will continue coordination with county staff, the state and contractors as salvage and fuels projects progress.
