Funding comes through for Unity Bridge replacement

Washington County’s Road and Bridge Supervisor Jerod Odoms had recently said there was a good chance the 115-year-old Unity Bridge would be funded for replacement sometime in 2025, but in a quick turn of events, during the Jan. 6 Washington County Commissioners meeting he reported the bridge’s funding has come through.

 “Unity Bridge was awarded to Keller and Associates,” Odoms said. “So, they’re reaching out now, trying to find a date where we can have a preconstruction meeting.”

 “Which bridge? Unity? It’s moved that far?” Commissioner Nate Marvin asked, pleasantly surprised. 

 “It’s been funded by the Leading Idaho Local Bridge program and awarded to an engineer,” Odoms answered.

 Odoms said all of the predesign work for the bridge replacement was taken care of a few years ago, and because of that the bridge’s replacement was fast-forwarded.

 In a separate interview, Odoms told the Signal American the governing board in 2021 had allowed him to spend $200,000 out of the county’s “special bridge” budget to do some pre-design work on Unity Bridge to put the county in a better position to receive grant money for its replacement.

 “Keller and Associates was selected for that project and provided us with a great jump off point for possible funding,” Odoms said. “Unfortunately, with inflation, the projected cost of the structure has almost doubled and was way too far out of reach for the county taxpayers and even a federal grant to move forward.”

 During the 2022 Idaho legislative session, though, a senate funding bill for local transportation was signed into law, creating an additional $210 million for local projects.

 “Through an application process Washington County was able to request funding for repair or replacement of seven of our ‘posted for load’ bridges,” Odoms said. “Unity, being the longest (303 feet) and most expensive in the county’s system (estimated $10 million), finally made the funding cut this year.

 “I have a meeting with the project manager later this month to move the project into its next stage, ‘full design,’” he added. “Some environmental, survey, and geotechnical work has already been completed, which will also speed the process up some.”

 Unity Bridge was heavily damaged in what was considered a 500-year flood event in 1997, and was brought back into use by 2000. Odoms said there has been further maintenance on the two-span structure several times since the damaging flood of 1997, “but it has not been enough to bring it up to current weight, height, and width standards needed for our community,” he said.

 “The right of way will need to be purchased for the new bridge as it will be wider and higher above the river, but we have discussed at both the local and state level that we want as little impact on the adjacent landowners as possible,” Odoms said.

 A few miles downriver, the 1917 Cove Bridge replacement is nearing the bidding process.

 “It has one final hurdle before we can go to bid, the finalization of the right of way,” Odoms said. “There are four landowners impacted and have been very amenable in the acquisition process. But, as in all things government, the wheels move slowly, but they do move.”

 Odoms added he had a meeting the same day to hopefully complete the step. 

 “Then the state will likely send it out to bid,” he said. “I want to thank all three previous Road and Bridge Supervisors, Kelly Erickson, Allen Comer, and Arlen Wilkins, for all the painstaking work to get Cove Road bridge in the works for me to be able push it past the finish line.”