Goodrich- The village council voted 5-0 Monday night for WadeTrim engineers to inspect the Dutch Road Bridge over the Kearsley Creek.
The $1,850 inspection is required by the federal government every two years. Included in the inspection is a scour analysis’which examines the hole left behind when sediment (sand and rocks) is washed away from the bottom of a river.
‘The scour is a big problem with all bridges,? said Pete Morey, village council member.
‘The scour is magnified with the rains or during snow runoff. We estimate the creek flows about 4 mph.?
The council also OK’d $2,500 for WadeTrim to assist with an application for a grant to paint the Dutch Road Bridge.
Village Administrator Jakki Sidge said costs for the bridge painting and scour removal will be $107,000 to $121,000. With the help of WadeTrim, the village will seek a grant for the project reducing the cost of the repair to about $34,000. The repair project, if approved on the bridge built in 1939, will begin in 2012.
‘Engineers estimate that by painting the bridge it will last another 40 years,? added Sidge. It’s cheaper to do the painting now rather than wait until expenses escalate.?