Work is concluding on one bridge project in Barton County this week and will begin on another, it was announced.
Barton County Engineer Clark Rusco reported Wednesday that a Newton company is concluding work on the Radium Road bridge this week and early next week will start work on the Ellinwood bridge.
According to information from Rusco’s office, Bridges Inc., of Newton, “will finish the first phase of bridge repairs for the Arkansas River bridge on Radium Road this Friday.
“The bridge will be re-opened to traffic on Friday.
“The contractor will begin the first phase of bridge repairs for the Ellinwood Bridge over the Arkansas River on Monday, March 19. 
“The bridge will need to be closed while the repairs are being made. 
“The bridge will remain closed for two to three weeks until the repairs are completed.” according to the information from the County Engineer’s Office.
Barton County Commissioners, accepted the low bid of $228,268.25 from Bridges, Inc., of Newton, for the replacement of pins and hangars on the Radium Road bridge and the Ellinwood bridge.
Rusco reported earlier that the project isn’t coming any too soon.
The annual inspection, performed the day after the bids were opened, on Dec. 14, showed that the Radium Road bridge had another broken pin.
Rusco explained earlier that the Road and Bridge Department responded to the Radium Bridge after the annual inspection show that there had been a pin failure and performed temporary repairs. “The railroad was nice enough to loan us some ties until we get it fixed,” Rusco said at the time, adding the Road and Bridge crew built a base and then used the ties to shore up the bridge so it can’t shift where the pin has failed. “It’s completely supported now with railroad ties, so it’s good to go,” the county engineer commented earlier.