Work on a major bridge replacement could begin as early as next week.
According to an update from Lyon County Engineer Wayne Scritchfield, the mussel survey for the area surrounding the Rocky Ford Bridge was wrapped up last weekend, with 400 non-endangered mussels being relocated from the area where construction of a new bridge will take place. With that phase now complete, Scritchfield says physical work on the new structure could begin as soon as Monday.
With the work beginning, Scritchfield says residents in the area can expect detours to both the south and north of the construction zone throughout the project’s duration. For those traveling from the south, Scritchfield advises taking Road 140 west to Kansas Highway 99 as the best route around the work zone. For those traveling from the north, the best route will be to take Road P to Road 170.
Scritchfield says the project is estimated to take roughly 6 months to complete, weather permitting, which is pretty standard for a project of this size.
The new bridge will be built adjacent to the current structure, also known as Bird Bridge, which will not be torn down or removed. The original bridge was built in 1907, was made infamous by the murder of Sandra Bird in 1983 and was added to the Kansas Register of Historic Places back in 2020.
The total cost of the bridge replacement comes to just under $2 million, with an 85/15 split between the Kansas Department of Transportation and Lyon County. Given the split, the county’s share of the project is right around $300,000, with Scritchfield saying the new bridge should last 50 years or more.
