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Klamath County declares local emergency for Matney Bridge after cracked stringer discovered
Summary
The Klamath County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a local emergency declaration April 7 for Matney Bridge over the Lost River after Public Works reported a cracked stringer, enabling emergency repairs this summer intended to avoid a roughly $3 million full replacement.
The Klamath County Board of Commissioners on April 7 unanimously approved a local emergency declaration for Matney Bridge, which spans the Lost River near Hill Road, after county engineers identified a cracked stringer that officials said could necessitate a full $3 million replacement if not addressed.
Jeremy Morris, public works director, told the board the cracked stringer requires expedited work and described the declaration as a step to allow emergency repairs to begin this summer. The board signed a resolution invoking state emergency authority under ORS 401.305 and ORS 401.309 to expedite procurement and repair work.
Commissioner Minty moved to sign the resolution and Commissioner Nichols seconded; the vote was unanimous. The declaration allows staff to pursue emergency repair options and associated contracting steps without the delay of a standard competitive procurement timeline, Morris said.
The board did not provide a contractor name or an exact repair cost estimate at the meeting; Morris characterized the emergency repairs as a preventive measure intended to avoid the substantially higher cost of complete replacement. The county said further details, including a repair timeline and contract proposals, will be developed as staff solicits quotes and plans the work.
The emergency declaration will next be followed by staff-level procurement and planning; the board indicated they expect additional information when staff returns with cost and schedule details.
