Commissioners weigh route for oversized solar transformers amid bridge safety concerns

County road staff and township representatives spent substantial time reviewing proposed routes for an incoming "superload" of transformers destined for a solar project. Staff reported bridge span measurements and axle counts and said the largest trailer extends roughly 201 feet; on some short bridges, only two axles would be on the span at a time, while on larger spans up to five axles could be present.

A county bridge official said the state bridges on the proposed route had substructure ratings in the medium to good range but recommended formal documentation from MoDOT and the carrier before allowing the load onto county roads and gravel segments. "If everybody thinks this is a great idea, I'm on board to get any paperwork for it," one commissioner said, urging written permits and assurances to protect the county from future liability. Commissioners discussed alternative routes that keep the load on state highways but noted longer detours could add days to the delivery schedule.

"I don't see a problem with that load going across it or anything," a county bridge official said after presenting measurements, but he and commissioners both requested permits and written assurances before county roads are used for the move.