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St. Clair County approves final waterline invoice as officials weigh Riverside Bridge detour funding
Summary
The commission approved payment of the final invoice to Raglin waterworks so the Riverside Bridge replacement can proceed, while commissioners asked staff to develop contingency plans for detour roadway upgrades if state funding does not cover required improvements.
The St. Clair County Commission voted May 26 to pay the final invoice from the Town of Raglin waterworks for a water-line relocation that cleared the way for the Riverside Bridge replacement. Commissioners discussed the premium on the final invoice, described in the meeting as "just shy of $192,000," a figure higher than earlier cost estimates by roughly $38,000.
Chair opened the bridge discussion by asking county engineer Dan Dy to describe outstanding steps. Dan said the relocated water line allows the county to replace the bridge, but the commission must resolve how to handle detour routing where county-maintained roadways meet city limits in Riverside. Dan and commissioners noted that parts of the roadway and associated dam and access points fall inside Riverside’s municipal limits, which affects who should pay to upgrade detour routes.
Commissioners directed staff to place the matter on a work session agenda to develop two possible plans: one that assumes state funding will cover detour upgrades and a second that anticipates no state contribution and would require negotiation with the City of Riverside to bring those detour segments up to a safe, drivable standard for heavy traffic.
The commission then approved a motion to pay the Raglin waterworks invoice so replacement work can begin. The motion passed by voice vote; no individual roll-call tally was provided in the transcript.
Commissioners emphasized that the detour will carry substantially more traffic than current local roads were designed for, and that coordination with Riverside’s mayor and public works officials will likely be required if state grant support is not forthcoming. The commission also discussed sequencing and contingency plans tied to contractor mobilization dates and weather conditions.
Next steps: staff will schedule a work session to present alternative detour plans and funding scenarios, and the county will proceed with the bridge replacement work contingent on contractor schedule and weather.
