Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County engineers report tentative $7.6 million FLAP award to rebuild Forest Service Road 17; Rairden Bridge found eligible for historic status
Summary
Engineering staff told commissioners a FLAP grant for an estimated $7.6 million to rebuild 3.1 miles of Forest Service Road 17 was tentatively approved but funding is not expected until 2030; WYDOT has determined Rairden Bridge is eligible for historic status, though the county is unlikely to pursue designation.
County engineering staff updated commissioners on a pair of bridge and roadway projects and a tentative federal grant for major reconstruction.
Leonhardt, reporting for Engineering/Road and Bridge, said the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) grant submitted earlier in the year has been tentatively approved but is contingent on funding availability in 2030. Leonhardt said the award would cover an estimated $7,600,000 to rebuild approximately 3.1 miles of Forest Service Road 17.
The tentative grant, if funded, would fund reconstruction work identified by county engineers. Leonhardt also reported ongoing right-of-way research for replacement of the Shell Bridge and work related to Lane 31.
Wyoming Department of Transportation staff notified the county that Rairden Bridge is eligible for historic status, Leonhardt said; commissioners and staff discussed other nearby bridges with similar designations and concluded that the county would likely not request a historic designation because of the number of already-designated bridges in the area.
Road and bridge staff presented several right-of-way permit requests, including permits for Lane 39, Lane 40, Road 16 and Road 11. Hovey and Mann recommended approval; Commissioner Bruce Jolley moved to approve the permits, and the motion was seconded and carried.
Maintenance updates included completion of durapatching, pit-run haul for Road 38 and work to repair a washout on Beaver Creek Road. Hovey said farmers have been cleaning ditches and dumping spoils onto the driving surface; commissioners directed staff to contact landowners for cleanup and, if unsuccessful, have the county clean the spoils and bill the landowners.
Mann reported the installation of an 8-by-12-foot culvert on Lane 6 and said the replacement T-track has been purchased. He also said crews are considering shading fuel pumps to reduce vapor locking and will contact a vendor about shop door replacements.
The county will monitor the FLAP grant timeline and proceed with right-of-way and maintenance work as funding and permitting allow. No formal county match or schedule was set at the May 6 meeting; the grant award remained contingent on federal funding availability.
