County bridges to get replaced

Cypress County council voted in favour of going with option C for the bridge replacement on Graburn Road at the April 7 meeting.
The replacement will see a 24.4 metre low volume steel girder bridge installed at an estiamted cost of $1,340,000. The balance of funds ($1,402,000) will come from Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding.
Minor road rehabilitation will be done at a cost of $641,000 on the road all the way through to the bridge.
The total project total will be $1,981,000.
“My reasoning behind that on the first two, A and B, I don’t think the bridge is going to get raised and I would like to see that bridge raised for when we have that 100-year flood again,” said Deputy Reeve Richard Oster, who made the motion.
“There is some dirt work, but it would be the lesser amount of the dirt work.”
The construction would create an open channel and raised bridge structure to prevent further damage due to high water events.
Reeve Dan Hamilton said, “If we’re going to do it, we might as well do it right. That Graburn is well used.”
Council also directed administration to proceed with the replacement of the 65-year-old timber bridge on Township Road 101.
Work will include twin 2.8 to three-metre culverts and related road realignment at an estimated cost of $1,215,000. The balance of the funds ($654,750) would be applied for under the Municipal Sustainability Initiative.
The current bridge is a on a dead-end road that provides private access to landowners and connects to Highway 887 south of Seven Persons.
“Local farmers have expressed concern to the County of the bridge moving during routine heavy hauls. The bridge cannot be load restricted as this is the only access for farmers and ranchers,” as read in the agenda package item.
The County completed four applications under the 2019 Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program and were successful in receiving $560,250 for the Township Road 101 bridge project.

Get More Bow Island Commentator →