Bonner County declares emergency after inspection finds damaged bridge pilings

Bonner County commissioners voted Tuesday to adopt an emergency declaration after Rudin Bridge director Jason Top reported that a recent underwater inspection found one support piling for the Wisconsin Street Merritt Bridge sheared about six inches off the creek bottom and another piling showing cracks.

"During a scheduled inspection...significant infrastructure failure was discovered," Jason Top said, asking the board to declare a disaster and authorize administrative signature for the declaration. Top said the county reduced the bridge weight limit per ITD guidance and is awaiting engineering numbers to set a more specific load restriction. He told the board Marine Solutions, the dive team that found the damage, would also perform the repairs and estimated two weeks for parts and roughly two weeks to complete the repair once work begins.

The board's motion to approve the declaration described the loss of access to the Wisconsin Street Merritt Bridge as presenting an imminent threat to life, property and public safety because first responders could be delayed for residents south of the bridge. The motion passed by roll call.

Top said the repair approach would involve digging around the damaged pile, installing a welded jacket, pumping aggregate concrete through ports to displace water, capping and restoring the support so the bridge could return to full capacity without the temporary weight restriction. He also said the county has ordered parts to avoid delay and is coordinating with ATD/ITD and other agencies on load-rating guidance.