WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
A number of bridges on heavily traveled roads in St. Joseph County could be closed for up to three years if a potential funding shortage isn’t resolved in the near future.
Representatives from the St. Joseph County Road Commission addressed board of commissioners during their executive committee meeting last week. Road Commission Board chairman Eric Shafer said priority attention needs to be given to bridges on Farrand Road in Colon Township, Constantine Road in Lockport Township and Prairie Corners Road in Mendon Township.
In addition, Shafer said next year’s long-planned overhaul of Langley Covered Bridge is facing a financial obstacle, as inflation is adding more than 30 percent to the project’s original estimated cost.
In light of such a grim situation, Shafer and road commission officials are hoping for some financial help.
He said the road commission on three occasions has requested state-funding assistance to help with replacement of the 57-year-old Farrand Road bridge. All three requests have been denied, so far, Shafer added. The agency is waiting for a response after recently making a fourth such request.
Current projected costs to replace Constantine Road bridge is $4.5 million, while replacing 48-year-old Prairie Corners bridge is estimated at $3.3 million.
The county got $11 million in ARPA money from the feds to help with capital improvements (infrastructure). A bridge is infrastructure. If these are heavily used roadways, then use the ARPA money to offset costs! Stop throwing tax dollars at sports complexes, wedding destination spots, hiking and biking trails and other feel good crap while the basics suffer.
There could be a so called toll fee for using the Langley bridge with a drawbar at each end, may help to conserve the surface if people have to wait and drive slowly to get from one end to the other rather than racing through! Just an idea.