Congressman Views Stearns County Bridge In Need Of Replacement

(KNSI) – Central Minnesota’s U.S. Congressman viewed a Stearns County bridge deemed deficient and in need of replacement in the next couple of years.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation rates bridges on a score of 1 to 100 with anything below a score of 60 rated as deficient, is eligible for federal aid and needs repair or replacement.

Bridge 6819, which is on County State Aid Highway 75 over the Sauk River in Waite Park, was given a score of 48.

Stearns County Engineer Jodi Teich talked about what’s wrong with the bridge.

Jake Judd (KNSI News)

“The deck has exposed rebar reinforcement steel underneath it, and that’s corroding because of the exposure to moisture. So, that makes it lose strength. We’ve got some exposed steel that’s rusting and has some section loss on the steel beams. And, of course, the underside of the deck has a lot of concrete delamination, where that concrete is falling off.”

She says there is also concrete falling off of the support piers the abutments.

The bridge’s bearings, which allow the bridge to function in temperature extremes, are frozen up because of pack rust.

The bearings prevent lateral movement to the bridge and avoid uplift on the bridge.

Engineers say the bridge has deteriorated to the point where it’s cheaper to replace the bridge than repair it.

Teich says despite all the issues, the bridge is still safe to use.

“We just don’t want it to continue to deteriorate to a point where we have to load post it. And move all that traffic. So right now, it’s safe. If it weren’t safe, we wouldn’t be allowing this amount of traffic over it. But it’s at a point that we need to be planning for its replacement.”

Around 25,000 vehicles cross the bridge every day.

If the bridge were closed, it would be a 6 to 8-mile round trip detour for the traffic.

The shortest detour on the county road system would bring a lot of that traffic past Westwood Elementary School in St. Cloud, and officials say they don’t want to increase traffic around the school.

A replacement bridge is estimated at $3 million. Local and state officials have requested $1 million from the federal government.

Sixth District U.S. Representative Tom Emmer says he’s asked Congress for the money for the bridge.

“This will have to ultimately pass through the house as part of a larger bill, whether it’s the infrastructure bill or some other legislative vehicle, and it will also have to pass the Senate. So, it still has a ways to go. But it’s on the list.”

Emmer says 15% of the traffic using the bridge are commercial vehicles, and the interruption to commerce would be huge if the bridge were closed to large trucks.

“It’s reached the end of its useful life. 1954 I think this bridge was was constructed. It’s had a good life. Now we all have to work together to try and get this thing done and get it replaced.”

Emmer says he hopes to get federal money allocated for the project by the end of the year and would like to see the new bridge built in one to three years.

In the last month, Stearns County has replaced three other deficient bridges on County Road 123 near Farming, County Road 164 east of Eden Valley, and County Road 9 north of Avon.

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