Mower County still has many bridges over troubled waters.

The county will take care of each one of them, but it will be a "worst-come, first-come basis."

On Tuesday, the county commissioners approved county highway department engineer Michael Hanson's recommendation to prioritize the bridges.

On June 23, 1998, the county board identified about 140 bridges which were considered structurally deficient and/or obsolete.

The solution was to replace those bridges. The county engineer approved a five-year plan to take care of the "high priority" bridges on the list.

Over the last five years, about 50 bridges on the high priority list were replaced.

In making his case for a new five-year plan, Hanson told the commissioners the Mower County Highway Department performs annual inspections on bridge structures and biannual inspections on some of the pipe, arch-pipe and box culvert structures.

"With such an inspection frequency," Hanson informed the county commissioners, "it is evident that the inspectors and their assistants are very familiar with the relative condition and history of deterioration of our system."

Based upon the information, the inspectors developed a new list of 90 bridges which are structural deficient and/or obsolete.

In compiling the list, Hanson said it served two purposes.

One, it provides guidance to the highway department for scheduling.

Secondly, Hanson said, "It sends a message to the state that a significant problem exists and that funds are direly needed."

The Minnesota Department of Transportation, Association of Minnesota Counties and Minnesota Transportation Alliance will use the data from all 87 counties to "help convince the legislature to continue to provide bond funds for this important program," according to Hanson.

Bridges everywhere

In all, 54 bridges made the new high priority list.

Mower County, by law, is responsible for every bridge everywhere in the county, including rural areas and inside city limits and unincorporated villages boundaries.

The bridges were rated deficient or declared obsolete for three reasons: hydraulics, structure and function.

The high-priority bridges are located in every Mower County township except Pleasant Valley and Dexter.

Red Rock has the most, six, while Windom, Lyle and Waltham have five each. Adams, Bennington and Sargeant have four each. Lodi, Marshall, Lansing and Nevada have three each. Udolpho and Austin have two each and the rest, Frankford, LeRoy, Clayton, Racine and Grand Meadow have one each.

Six bridges are slated for replacement this year. Four are two-year projects, beginning this year.

The formula includes combinations of state aid, bonds, plus township and county funds.

In other county highway department-related action Tuesday, the commissioners:

n Approved resolution accepting bond funds for a Mower County Highway No. 11 bridge in the amount of $21,862 and a county highway No. 8 bridge in the amount of $43,167.

n Discussed the purchase of a John Deere loader without taking action. Plans call for locating a loader at the proposed new county highway department maintenance building in Adams.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com