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County faces trade‑off: $300,000 dike vs. multimillion‑dollar bridge and culvert replacements
Summary
Banner estimated dike construction at about $300,000, while a no‑action scenario could require bridge replacements, added culverts and road raising with preliminary estimates between about $7.8 million and $12.45 million; commissioners and residents debated whether reinforcing bridges or restoring the dike is the better investment.
Banner Associates contrasted the estimated $300,000 construction cost for the proposed dike with rough estimates the firm produced for replacement or modification of several county bridges and culverts if the diversion continued to grow and scouring progressed.
Kelly Buscher said preliminary bridge and culvert replacement costs under the no‑action alternative could range from roughly $7.8 million to $12.45 million (Banner provided these as order‑of‑magnitude figures for assessing relative risk and cost). "To repair or replace those structures, it could cost several millions of dollars for the Brookings County taxpayers," Buscher said.
Several commissioners and residents questioned specific bridge‑length and culvert assumptions that underlie those high estimates, and asked whether alternative mitigation — for example bank stabilization or localized riprap on vulnerable bridges — could reduce costs. Commissioners noted the county currently has limited budget capacity for large capital projects and asked Banner to refine cost comparisons that incorporate likely mitigation needs to avoid shifting costs from one community group to another.
