Barring any objections from the Kansas State Historical Society, the old limestone bridge three miles north of Beaver will be demolished and replaced by a new, wider, safer one, the Barton County Commission decided Monday morning.
Known as bridge number 650, the bridge dates back to 1940 and the Work Progress Administration. However, the past 70 years have taken their toll.
Times have changed and the historic span is no longer is safe, County Administrator Richard Boeckman said. Even if repaired, the narrow 24-foot-wide bridge can’t safely accommodate today’s larger farm and oil field equipment.
It is suggested that the bridge be replaced with reinforced concrete box in order to widen it to a safer 30-foot roadway width that is consistent with the roadway width north and south of the structure.
In addition to safety, cost is another issue, Boeckman said. In 2011, it was estimated it would cost $130,000 to restore the bridge. A new structure would be about $50,000 less.
Much of 650’s limestone and cement on the bridge abutments and at the base of the supports has eroded away. Any of the limestone salvaged can be used to help repair the remaining historic bridges.
The Barton County Commission in August gave notice it planned to demolish the crumbling bridge with plans to replace it. However, since it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the public had to have a chance to comment, Boeckman said.
Following that notice, there was no public response. Now, a letter will be sent to the KSHS’s historic preservation officer letting them know of the county’s intention. The state will seven days to respond.
If there is no response, the demolition will proceed, Boeckman said.
The concrete and stone bridge on North East 60 Avenue spans a tributary of Beaver Creek and has “WPA 1940” stamped in the cement curb. The bridge is one of seven limestone WPA-era bridges in the northern part of the county designated as historic a few years ago.
At the time, the state promised grant funds to help restore and maintain these structures. However, Boeckman said that money never came.
This would be the third bridge the county has “delisted” and replaced, Boeckman said.