Commissioners Debate Willard Bridge

From WIBW OnLine:

 The debate over the Willard Bridge continued in a divided Shawnee County commission meeting Monday morning - and there doesn't seem to be any concrete plans on when or how to replace the failing bridge.

"Commissioner Shelly Buhler has been on the commission for 8 years," District 3 Commissioner Bob Archer read from a printed-out letter Monday morning. "It is incredible that the previous commissioners did not address this issue before it became a crisis."

As tensions in Shawnee County are rising over the future of the failing Willard Bridge, Archer made his stance known.

"I guess no one made it a priority."

After Commissioner Shelly Buhler's previous motions to take the $7 million allocated for a new pool and aquatic park in SW Topeka and put it toward rebuilding the Willard Bridge was denied - she didn't have much to say.

"No comment," she said quickly after Commissioner Kevin Cook asked her if she had any "administrative communications" in response to Archer's statement.

In past discussions, Buhler has said the commission needs to act now. Last month the weight limit on the fracture critical bridge was reduced from 15 to 9 tons as a safety precaution.

But Archer and Cook want to wait.

"Before allocating funds to rebuild the bridge, we should look for additional fund sources to benefit all county tax payers. It would be totally responsible not to do so," Archer said.

He added that the $25 million it will take to rebuild the bridge is an enormous price tag for Shawnee County to absorb.

He suggested KDOT, Federal Highway Administration, and surrounding counties could help with the bill.

"[It] may have been eligible for federal funding for years. KDOT funding may have also been available," Archer said.

Cook said some of the responsibility falls on Rossville and Silver Lake - two main communities that depend on the bridge.

"When it came time on prior sales tax soon to expire, neither of the townships were willing to offer any proceeds from their portion of the sales tax for infrastructure projects," Cook said. "Moneys collected by Rossville and Silver Lake are kept by Rossville and Silver Lake. I would think they would have a financial interest in helping rebuild the Willard Bridge."

It does not seem to be a matter of disagreement that the bridge needs to be replaced, but how and when to do it is at a stalemate.

Cook asked County Counselor Rich Eckert to write a letter to the federal delegation outlining the county's immediate need and asking for its assistance.

At least 2,000 people use the bridge daily. The reduced weight limits prohibit many heavy vehicles, such as semis and school buses, from crossing. That has caused a major delay for school buses en route to and from school. Many people also use the bridge to connect to I-70 and US-24 Highway.

The debate continues on Thursday's meeting.