Initial dirt work is underway with below-grade concrete and steel work set to begin in the next few weeks as work continues on the replacement of the historic Rocky Ford Bridge.
According to Lyon County Engineer Wayne Scritchfield, work through the county’s dirt contractor has been underway for over a week now, with clearing and grubbing wrapping up last week and dirt work now underway.
Scritchfield says the next phase of work, below-grade support work, will begin next week through the project’s bridge contractor.
Scritchfield says this structural work should take two months to complete, with that phase of the project possibly wrapping up by mid to late January, weather permitting.
During an interview with KVOE News, Scritchfield reminded residents that the replacement will not see the demolition of the current structure, as it is a historic landmark in the area, with the new bridge set to be constructed adjacent to Rocky Ford. That said, Scritchfield did note the project will see all road access to the current structure “Eradicated.”
The current dirt work is constructing new road access west of Road P, with the northern portion of the new roads cutting through segments of the original roads.
The entire bridge replacement is expected to take six months to complete, again, weather permitting.
The original bridge, also known as Bird 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.
