Steele County to seek bids and studies for multiple township culvert repairs

Steele County commissioners on April 7 agreed to pursue bids and engineering studies to address multiple failing culverts in township jurisdictions, including a proposed replacement near property identified with Dennis Gilbertson and a failing 9-by-30-foot culvert on Bugby Road in Finley Township.

Dennis Gilbertson (township chair) described a long-running safety issue at a narrow arch culvert north of his area and urged the county to proceed to a replacement sized to reduce future washouts; county staff described an engineering alternative (a 46-foot option) that would increase the effective water-crossing area by roughly 30 percent compared with the existing structure. Commissioners discussed county policy: historically the county has split replacement costs with townships and can offer up to two years of financing for the township share. Commissioners moved to solicit bids for the Gilbertson-area culvert and the motion carried.

Representatives from Finley Township asked the board to consider assistance for a failing Bugby Road structure (described in the meeting as roughly 9 feet by 30 feet and heavily eroded). County engineers said they would perform a hydraulic/structure study, search county records for previous work or ownership documentation, and provide the study to the township ahead of the May meeting. Staff warned the board that some older multipiece “multiplate” culverts can be sensitive to soil settlement and may require careful design or a box-cover replacement.

County staff noted a policy clarification: when the county participates in a culvert replacement it typically treats the payment as a one-time repair — if a replaced crossing later blows out, the county’s participation generally ends. Commissioners asked staff to prepare bid documents and financing options and return the engineering study and a recommended cost-split to the board at the next meeting.

What happens next: staff will prepare bid documents for the Gilbertson-area culvert, perform the hydraulic study for the Bugby Road site and distribute it to Finley Township, and present financing and cost-share options at the May meeting.