At least for now, work may end earlier than scheduled for the new Rocky Ford bridge — at least, according to Lyon County Engineer Wayne Scritchfield.
That even includes a delay in the next related project: bridge decking.
The original plan had decking to start Friday, but there is a good chance of showers and storms areawide. The current goal is now to start next week.
Scritchfield says the final pre-decking process is underway now. Decking could take place Monday morning, with a 3-week curing process to follow. From there, crews will backfill the abutments, form and place handrails, place guardrails, finish dirtwork, finish approaches and add the gravel pavement.
This replaces the old bridge, which dates back to 1907, but the project doesn’t remove the old bridge.
The current bridge was added to the Kansas Register of Historic Places in 2020, in part due to its truss design and in part due to its significance in the infamous Sandra Bird murder in 1983.
