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Unforeseen problems delay bridge project By BUFFY POLLOCK ROGUE RIVER - A project to replace the historic Depot Street Bridge has been put on hold while overseers determine whether a third lane should be added and who will pay for it. The project was delayed by the Oregon Department of Transportation about two weeks ago because of "a whole series of issues that were not anticipated," said Jackson County construction supervisor Mike Kuntz. "When we got into working out the fundamentals of the design, we learned it was going to be more costly than preliminary estimates allowed for," he said. "We started out thinking it was about a $9 million project. It's turned into a $13 million project." The 50-year-old, county-owned structure is eligible for replacement under the federal Highway Bridge Replacement program. County engineer Dale Petrasek said the main reason for the project's delay was the expense involved in adding a third lane to the proposed bridge. "There was a decision brought down that the HBR program was not going to fund the third lane on the bridge, but with future traffic volume, it needs to be there," said Petrasek. He said the purpose for replacing the bridge was to meet safety standards such as elevation and traffic capacity. Kuntz said engineers were waiting for a decision from the HBR oversight committee as to whether the project would continue. "We're sort of in wait-and-see mode," said Kuntz, who worried if a decision were not made soon, scheduled completion of the bridge would be set back. "We were expecting to start construction in 2003. If the design phase can't be continued soon, it could slip back a year. We still have 18 months of real heavy design work in front of us," he said. Factors contributing to the increased cost estimates include a detour that must be operated during construction, site limitations that make it difficult and costly to build the bridge at a higher elevation (above the 100-year floodplain) and expenses for rebuilding two nearby parks, which will be renovated to accommodate the new span. Kuntz said if the oversight committee did not approve the project as is, it would either be changed to accommodate current funding or canceled until more funding became available. "Depending on bridge design, omitting that third lane could save us between a half-million and $1.5 million," said Kuntz. "Another option could be to renovate the existing structure, which would cost about $5.5 million. It would last 15, maybe 20 years and put us right back where we are now, only with an increase in cost and even more environmental regulations. "A new bridge would give us maybe 75-100 years. There are just too many possibilities of how it could go at this point. We just have to wait and see." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.