The Starke County Commissioners heard more bridge news from Highway Superintendent Steve Siddall, who informed them that Bridge 34 will have to be removed from the county inventory and replaced with a culvert.
Siddall says that repairing the bridge, which he described as “shot,” would cost roughly $340,000– a hefty price tag for the county that is currently sinking available funds into more time-critical projects. He said the bridge could instead be removed and replaced with a culvert at an estimated cost of $20,000, saving the county over $300,000.
According to Siddall, the county would first have to remove the bridge from its inventory, then notify local farmers and landowners of their intent to remove the bridge. Anyone who uses the bridge would have to find an alternate route.
Siddall says he expects the project to get underway this summer.
