Lancaster County approves NDOT bridge match to replace Bridge X-84 and remove Bridge C-262

The Lancaster County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 3 approved a County Bridge Match Program resolution and a corresponding agreement with the Nebraska Department of Transportation to replace County Bridge X-84 and remove County Bridge C-262.

County Engineer Pam Dingman told the board that "Bridge X-84 was one of five County bridges currently rated in poor condition." She said approving the agreement would reduce the number of poorly rated bridges in the County by "approximately 40 percent." The board approved a resolution authorizing the chair to sign the match agreement and then approved the agreement itself.

The board-recorded estimate for the two projects is $1,029,500. Under the agreement, the State’s designated share will be 55 percent of bridge or culvert construction costs, with the State’s maximum contribution not to exceed $500,000.

Commissioners voted unanimously on both the resolution and the agreement. The recorded votes show Rick Vest moved and Matt Schulte seconded approval of the resolution; Chelsea Johnson, Sean Flowerday, Matt Schulte, Rick Vest and Chair Christa Yoakum voted yes. For the agreement, Vest moved and Flowerday seconded and the same five commissioners voted yes.

Dingman said Bridge C-262 will be removed from the County bridge system and that the removal will allow the County to continue to provide access to residents without the long-term cost of maintaining a full bridge structure. She thanked Engineering Department staff and local consultants for their work on the projects.

The projects are identified in the paperwork as Bridge X-84 (Bridge X-84.5E 5N of Firth at Hickman Branch; Project C005503505) and Bridge C-262 (1.2 N 1.4E Raymond at Little Salt CR; Project C00558135). The board did not set an exact construction start date during the meeting.