BOCC approves bridge repair funding assistance

SANDPOINT — Bonner County commissioners voted Tuesday to accept state assistance to repair four bridges in the county that have been deemed to be in poor condition.

Road and Bridge staff engineer Matt Mulder told commissioners that in 2022, Gov. Brad Little signed Senate Bill 1359, which awarded the state $200 million for bridge repairs and replacements in Idaho.

“The state has over 400 bridges that are rated in poor condition,” Mulder said. “Within Bonner County, we have 11 bridges out of 39 that were rated in poor condition, so we were able to submit half of those for consideration to be repaired or replaced.”

Of those five bridges, four of them have been selected to be replaced by government funding — the bridge on Grouse Creek Road, Rapid Lightning Bridge No. 4 and two bridges on Colburn Culver Road, one across Grouse Creek and the other across the Pack River.

“There is no match required from Bonner County funds as that is how this program has been structured by the state,” Mulder told commissioners.

The engineer said he anticipates that the fifth bridge that was submitted for funding will likely get selected during later rounds of approval. The smaller bridges in this batch of four, he said, are likely to cost around $1 million and the larger ones across the Pack River should cost anywhere between $2-$3 million.

“It’s a lot of money for bridges,” he said. “If this were being done under the federal aid bridge program, with all the federal requirements, these would be triple the cost.”

Mulder said the use of state funds for these repairs eliminates a lot of the “red tape” and extra requirements needed with federal funds. This way, the repair costs are lower and taxpayer dollars can be more effective across the state.

“So we’re getting millions of dollars’ worth of bridges that you’re presenting to us here today with a zero dollar match from Bonner County?” asked Commissioner Luke Omodt. “I think that’s a good deal.”

The commissioners voted unanimously to accept the state funds for the bridge repairs.