Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Bridge Repair topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Clay County plans low-water crossing after pilings rot on Buffalo Road bridge
Summary
Highway Administrator Bobby Shomper told commissioners that two of four pilings on a Buffalo Road bridge were rotted, prompting a closure and design work for a low-water crossing; the board was told the reopened structure will limit farm equipment and weight.
Clay County's Highway Administrator, Bobby Shomper, reported April 27 that a bridge on Buffalo Road was closed after inspectors found two of its four pilings rotted, leaving the structure unable to safely carry its previous 3-ton limit.
Shomper said the bridge is constructed of concrete and wood with no steel components; designs for a low-water crossing are being drafted and engineers in the area will review the plans. He told the board the bridge will be reopened for smaller traffic only and will carry signage prohibiting farm equipment. Commissioner Thurlow asked whether the excavator was operational and instructed Shomper to coordinate with the Park Manager to remove concrete slabs from an old dock; Shomper confirmed the excavator is running and scheduled the work.
Shomper also reviewed routine highway maintenance: crews bladed roads, installed a 10"x40' plastic pipe at 26th between Limestone and Meadowlark, hauled rip-rap to multiple locations, cleaned a pipe on Sunflower between 8th and 9th Road, and hauled chips from Kansas Falls. He noted the department's pickup tires need replacement and the sign trailer is approaching end of life, with plans to replace it next year. The board instructed that older radios be transferred to Emergency Manager Jim Bogart for redistribution.
