November 4, 2004

BOARD OF FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

The Board of Commissioners met for a public hearing to gather information on the West Wilson Bridge with Chairman John E. Taylor and Commissioners Fred E. Ferguson, Donald C. Hay, Donald R. Stottlemire and Donald E. Waymire present.  

The public hearing was called to order by Chairman Taylor at 7:00 p.m.

Jim Haag said that the estimated construction date of the bridge was 1929, and raised in the 1950 to accommodate the railroad, in 1981 the bridge inspection report recommended that the bridge be posted and replaced, traffic count averages are estimated at a least 475 vehicles per day.  Jim said that the County could do nothing at a cost of $0 and continue with the bridge as is, close the bridge with an estimated cost of $26,280 to users of the bridge for added fuel costs, close and remove the bridge estimated cost is $50,000 to remove the bridge and a cost of $26,280 per year there after to users for added fuel costs, close and remove the bridge and install an at grade crossing.  Jim said that the railroad opposes this option and the cost is estimated at $220,000.  The last option would be to remove and replace the bridge at a cost of between $1,473,300 and $1,930,700. 

Harlan Page of 2015 Osborne Terr. said that trains park under the bridge and that there is a switch under the bridge.  Harlan asked if the railroad would help pay for the replacement.  Harlan asked if the bridge is in three sections, could parts of it be repaired.  The bridge has been there over 50 years.

Charles Bond of 3315 Louisiana Terr. all farm traffic will have to go down Main Street.  Pawnee Rd., Eisenhower Rd. and Osborne Terr all flood.  Propose option 6 and go to Osborne Lane, update that road and put in a new bridge, there would be no flood waters and you would bring the traffic over to Louisiana Terr., there is already a train crossing with lights and down Osborne Lane and off onto Wilson Street.  Mr. Bond said 10 years from now you are going to have to do something with a bridge on Osborne Terr., which is on the Historical Register and has a load limit on it currently. 

Leroy Hildebrandt said the bridge could be a life saver.  Is one life worth one million dollars?  We need to put in a new bridge, he is thinking of saving lives.

David Alderman of 2010 Osborne Terr. said that a new bridge needs to be built.  The worst option would be to close it.  It is hard to pull onto US 59 Highway with a grain truck going uphill.  He would rather wait for a train. 

Dawn Rumford of 2124 Osborne Terr. said that with the bridge gone, access for emergency vehicles would take longer.  A life being saved is worth more than a million dollars. 

Odree O’Conner of 3443 Louisiana Rd. said she doesn’t like the idea of waiting on a train, sometimes they are parked for a long period of time.  If traffic was routed to Pawnee, it is a flood area and that bridge is a one lane bridge.  Jim Haag said at this time there is no plan to replace it.

Loren Stewart of 2146 Osborne Terr. said that Osborne Terr. is the last of the roads to flood.  He had lived on Pawnee for 20 years and in the winter US 59 Highway going north is hard to make a turn onto Pawnee.  If 500 more vehicles a day are dumped onto US 59 Highway someone will get killed.  He said he has seen new wide bridges on county roads that do not have near the traffic that the West Wilson Bridge has.

Andy Baer of 3302 Louisiana Terr. said he does not want Osborne Terr and Osborne Lane both closed.

Brad Shoemaker of 3441 Eisenhower Terr. said if they did not have the bridge they could not get out when it floods.  Brad asked what the cost would be to repair and get by with another 20 or 30 years.  Jim Haag said that there is no cost estimates to repair.  The engineers are recommending replacement, because of the condition.

Bob Hayden of 1720 Sand Creek Rd. said he would use the road a lot more if the bridge was safe.  He does not like to drive agriculture equipment on 59 Highway.  He said he doesn’t see any difference with putting in an at-grade crossing, just like the one on Davis Rd. by the Rumford Farm.

Loren Stewart asked if funds could be acquired from the State or Federal government.  Jim Haag said that it could be possible to acquire $500,000 from the State and that Santa Fe may pay an amount to replace the bridge instead of putting in a crossing.

Chairman Taylor said that a few years back the county issued bridge bonds and did a major replacement of bridges.

Lloyd McClure said he owns some ground of Osborne Lane and if the road was closed he would not have access to it.  Lloyd said that the bridges in this area need to be replaced. 

Chairman Taylor said that there have been some good comments and they need to decide what would be best for everyone.

Harlan Page asked if funds were available and how much.  Jim Haag said maybe 80%.

Leroy Hildebrandt said from what he has heard that the bridge needs to be replaced, safety needs to be considered first.

Jim Haag said the bridge was posted in 1981 and need to be replaced.

Commissioner Hay said that the Santa Fe needs to pay a large portion of the replacement and we need to get the rest from the State.

Commissioner Stottlemire said they need to discuss options and not close the bridge.

Commissioner Hay said that an at-grade crossing should be out of the question.

With no further comments the public hearing was closed at 7:40.

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                                      Clerk                                                                                                       Chairman