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County approves retroactive road permits, rescinds move to vacate old highway
Summary
Big Horn County commissioners approved retroactive right-of-way permits and paused plans to vacate Road 34 after staff raised easement and federal funding concerns; engineers also reported a Crooked Creek washout that exposed buried fiber and submitted a SLIB emergency grant for Red Gulch Bridge.
The Big Horn County Commission on Sept. 16 approved retroactive right-of-way permits for Lane 49 and Road 9 and later rescinded an earlier motion to vacate Road 34 after staff flagged easement concerns.
Chairman Deb Craft presided over the regular session. Road & Bridge staff reported several ongoing maintenance matters: mowing along both ends of the county, completion of annual training, and damage at Crooked Creek that exposed buried fiber. Mann presented the retroactive right-of-way permit for Road 9; Commissioner Dave Neves moved to approve the permit, and the motion was seconded and carried.
Bridges, speaking for Engineering/Road & Bridge, said a mining company with a permit to mine bentonite near Crystal Creek Road has requested movement of a road; Bridges and Hovey will meet with the company later this month to develop a plan. Bridges also reported that the SLIB emergency grant application for the Red Gulch Bridge has been submitted and that an SLIB meeting is scheduled for Oct. 2, 2025; he asked that the Commission consider attending and said virtual attendance may be possible.
Commissioners discussed a proposed weight limit on Road 5. Bridges warned that imposing the weight restriction could eliminate the county’s ability to obtain federal funding in the future; Mann countered that recent repairs have improved the road and that truck weights are likely legal because the vehicles cross the port of entry. Staff recommended abandoning the weight-restriction consideration at this time.
On Road 34 — described in the minutes as the old highway — Commissioner Bruce Jolley moved to begin the process to vacate the road; the motion was seconded and carried. After further review and discussion about easements and descriptions required by SLIB, commissioners agreed the motion should be rescinded to preserve the easement in case a vacation is not possible. Bridges also presented a corrected Memorandum of Agreement for the Reirden Lane Bridge (signature page re-signed and dated Aug. 19, 2025) and described a revised easement for the Shell Creek Bridge that staff said clarifies federal-highway requirements without changing the road or fences.
Mann and Bridges said bid letting for upcoming work is imminent and that they will meet with Sidon Irrigation to discuss road-crossing culverts; they will also coordinate required work for a box culvert at Crooked Creek.
What happens next: the SLIB meeting regarding the Red Gulch Bridge is set for Oct. 2, and county staff will continue to develop plans with the mining company and Sidon Irrigation. The minutes record motions and approvals for the Lane 49 and Road 9 permits and the later rescission of the Road 34 vacation motion.
