The Lyon County Road and Bridge Department is getting set to seek grant funding through the Kansas Department of Transportation to construct a new bridge near the historic Rocky Ford structure.
Road and Bridge received guidance from Lyon County Commissioners last week to pursue grant funding through the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program through KDOT for the project. Plans are to construct the new bridge near Rocky Ford over the Cottonwood River just over three miles east of Emporia.
The cost of the project is estimated at $3 million with the county hoping the state can cover the “lion’s share” of the expense. The new bridge is a necessity due to the age and deterioration of Rocky Ford according to Assistant Lyon County Engineer Jim Brull.
Under normal circumstances the county would simply update and refurbish the structure, however, Brull says that option is not feasible given the bridge’s historic significance.
Brull says the department will likely send off the application to KDOT later this week and should receive word on its status by the end of the year. A project timeline cannot be developed until after the funding source is secured.
Rocky Ford, also known as Bird Bridge, was built in 1907 and was made infamous by the murder of Sandra Bird in July of 1983 by her husband Thomas Bird. The bridge was added to the Kansas Register of Historic Places back in late 2020.
