Road and Bridge director: Hidden culvert at Hot Creek forces change order; several bridges delayed by environmental reviews

Tom, Road and Bridge director, told commissioners at the May 11 monthly update that pile driving at Hot Creek Bridge has finished on one side and crews uncovered a previously buried culvert that still conveys water and must be replaced. "They want $45,000 to take that out," Tom said, adding that LTAC will pay $40,000 and the county would be responsible for $5,000.

Tom said crews will try to perform removal work in the evenings or on a weekend and set detours and signage to keep traffic moving; brief closures limited to emergency vehicles might be necessary when crews tie trenches together. He characterized the change-order approach as the cheaper option compared with closing the road for five days and excavating through the structure.

The director described preload and staging at a nearby bridge approach that will sit for roughly two months to settle before follow-on construction begins, and he said the Rapid Lighting Bridge project is expected to start around July. He estimated a design-and-construction budget of about $1,300,000 for one upcoming bridge and said Keller Engineering is working on the design; if bidding is delayed, he may carry the money into the next fiscal year.

Tom reported the North Fork East River Bridge has been held up by environmental and historic-preservation reviews and the required MOA process, and he said that project now looks likelier to move from 2026 into 2027. "That project's gonna be looking more in '27 now for that one," he said, urging commissioners to allow schedule adjustments so the county does not lose funding while the environmental process proceeds.

On smaller projects, Tom described the Melody Lane culvert replacement: the county plans to upsize to an 8-foot box unit to meet flow rates, but each precast box section weighs about 22,000 pounds and will likely require a contractor with larger lifting equipment or a crane. He noted procurement thresholds: he can request quotes for work up to $250,000, but projects above that threshold will require formal bidding.

Tom warned that several of the project's schedules and funding sources are interdependent. He said the county plans to fast-track the Whiskey Jack Bridge and that some larger projects will require multi-year funding allocations and careful budgeting. He asked commissioners for flexibility to carry projects and funds forward if bids and permits push construction into the next fiscal year.

The county will post traffic notices and coordinate signage before any temporary reroutes, Tom said, and he will bring anticipated revenue and schedule updates to the commissioners at the next business meeting.