Kansas County Bridge Repair and How to Secure Funding
Bridges are essential to Kansas transportation. According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, about 77% of the state’s 24,786 bridges are owned by local governments. That means local municipalities are responsible for maintenance and replacement of bridges, which can be a lot of work. We can be there every step of the way on those bridge projects, including funding, design, geotechnical investigation and construction inspection.
We will take care of you from the start of the project until the end. Our engineers can help your county public works department fill out and submit an application for a bridge replacement or rehabilitation; design the necessary bridge depending on length, height and traffic volume; let the project to a contractor; and finally inspect the bridge every two years.
There are different ways to secure funding for county bridge projects in Kansas, such as programs like the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program and Off-System Bridge Program.
According to KDOT, the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program is a $5 million state-funded program that provides funds to cities and counties to replace or rehabilitate locally-owned, deficient bridges throughout Kansas. This program focuses on structurally deficient or functionally obsolete bridges with a span of 50 feet or less and a low volume of traffic.
The Off-System Bridge Program distributes federal funds to eligible local public authorities (LPA’s) like cities and counties to replace or rehabilitate bridges on roads that are not on the federal-aid system. About $8 million is set aside for the Off-System Bridge Program.
Kaw Valley Engineering can be involved in the beginning to help your county secure funding from programs like these for deficient roads or bridges. It never hurts to apply for funding. Even if you don’t think you will get it, a consultant can help during the process and help you find the right solution.
Every bridge is different, and many across Kansas may have different deficiencies that need to be repaired or replaced. For those bridge projects, it is important to secure the right bridge team as well as proper funding. For more information about how we can help you with a local bridge project, contact us or read more here.