Preventative maintenance for the county’s bridges was discussed during Monday’s County Commissioner’s meeting, Highway Superintendent Jason Peters said the Scour Projects came in under budget. In 2018 the County Council appropriated money from the Rainy-Day Fund for the repairs. He said there will be about $250,000 left in the budget after the Scour Project is completed. Peters asked for support to approach the county and ask for those funds to do needed bridge maintenance.
He told the commissioners there are 59 timber bridges he would like to shim and tighten those that need attention, clean the decks, wash them, clear vegetation and treat bad spots with sealer. The county also has 58 concrete bridges and he proposes cleaning off the decks and washing and opening the drains on them and possibly replace some of the butt-joints, do overlays, seal them or other treatments that are required.
The county’s National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) shows 117 bridges in the county that are required to have inspections done on them. Peters said there are also 50 small structures the highway department takes care of.
The Commissioners, Mike Burroughs and Stan Klotz were supportive of his request to approach the County Council. Commissioner Kevin Overmyer was absent from the meeting.
