Cloud County awarded funds to replace historic bridge

A long-standing piece of Cloud County history will be replaced, but remain in place, thanks to funds awarded by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) for bridge projects across Kansas.
Cloud County was awarded up to $4,270,000 for the replacement of the bridge on 190th Road over the Republican River, known to many as the UP Bridge. It is located 4.4 miles east and 1.7 miles north of Concordia.
“It is outdated. It is a one-lane bridge that is weight restricted. It is getting to the point that, over time, it would eventually have to be closed,” Cloud County Highway Department administrator Andy Asch said.
Because it is on the National Register of Historic Places, the current bridge will remain in place after the construction of the new bridge.
Using the funds provided by KDOT, a new two-lane bridge will be constructed to the south of the current bridge and will line up with Teal Road.
“It will be built to today’s standards, carry a legal load and be two-lane,” Asch said. “It will be easier for farm access, getting equipment back and forth.”
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz announced this week that $40.5 million will be awarded to support 33 local and off-system bridge projects across the state.
“My administration is committed to improving Kansas’ transportation system, including city and county-owned bridges in need of overdue repairs,” Kelly said during an event in Westmoreland, just a few miles from one of the selected bridges. “These bridge programs demonstrate how, by fostering partnerships among all levels of government, we can build a robust, responsive infrastructure system that provides efficient and safe transportation routes and boost state and local economies.”
The bridge replacement in Cloud County was one of 11 Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Projects (KLBIP) selected for funding in fiscal year 2023.
Included in those 11 projects is the replacement of 10 deficient bridges and the permanent removal of seven deficient bridges from the local system.
With new revenue available because of the federally approved Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, KLBIP funding was increased from $5 million to $20 million.
There were 114 applications for KLBIP funding, totaling more than $126 million.
Asch was notified early this week that Cloud County was among the 11 projects approved for funding.
“I was actually surprised, in a good way,” Asch said. “This is the first time we have qualified for any funding. All of the other funding was for off-system bridges, and this is not on the off-system, meaning it is a main roadway through the county.
Cloud County submitted an application seeking $3.9 million.
The application included letters of support from area residents.
“Too many names to mention, but a lot of local support from area farmers, producers and land owners,” Asch said.
KDOT uses selection criteria in awarding funds for the projects that include bridge condition, detour length, inability to carry legal loads and past project history.
There are approximately 19,300 bridges on Kansas’ local road system. About 5,000 of them are in poor condition or are unable to meet today’s weight and vehicle requirements.
Taking inflation into consideration, KDOT awarded Cloud County a maximum of $4,173,000 in construction funds and $97,000 for removal, if another bridge is closed, for total of $4,270,000.
Cloud County will match 10 percent of the construction costs plus any non-participating costs such as design and right-of-way purchase.
Asch said that the cost to the county will be around $600,000 and will come out of the road and bridge budget. He doesn’t expect to have to budget any more to help cover those costs.
“We get federal fund exchange money every year and I have been saving some of that back,” Asch said.
Asch said that without the KLBIP funding the county would not be able to replace the bridge.
“The cost of the project is just a little more than we get for our annual budget,” Asch said.
The road and bridge budget for 2023 is $4,152,490.
Asch expects the bids to be let for the project in late 2023 and construction of the bridge to take place in 2024.
The current bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Republican River Pegram Truss bridge. It was erected in 1893 by Edge Moore Bridge Works, Wilmington, Del., as a railroad bridge.
The crossing was first used by the Junction City and Fort Kearney railroad. At an undetermined date the railroad route was abandoned and the bridge was turned over to vehicle traffic.
The bridge is made up of three spans, two double intersection Warren trusses, both 128 feet long, and a 203-foot long Pegram truss. The roadway is 15 feet wide and the bridge’s rise is 20 feet above the level of the river .
It states on the registration form for the National Register of Historic Places that the Pegram truss and double intersection Warren trusses represent the only example of such designs in Kansas.