By: James Pruitt
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
A nearly 80-year-old bridge in Swan Creek Township will be replaced following action by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners March 31.
The commissioners awarded a contract to R. G. Zachrich Construction for $234,688.60 to remove and replace the 32-foot long span over Bad Creek. Engineers had estimated the project would cost $283,000.
The project is an Ohio Public Works project meaning the state will pick up half the tab. The state had been committed to a cap of $159,000, county documents show.
Other bids came from Vernon Nagel of Napoleon for $238,260 and BH Excavating of Wayne for $253,766.
The bridge is located on Township Road E between Township Road 6 and County Road 6-1, a half-mile west of Township Road 6, over Bad Creek in Swan Creek Township. The superstructure is in poor condition and the bridge is not load posted.
All of the beams and the concrete deck have cracking and efflorescence. Several beams have concrete spalls exposing reinforcing bars at the bearing locations. The concrete deck shows signs of saturation. The concrete parapets are highly cracked, delaminated, and spalling along the curb line and end posts. The forward abutment footing is exposed due to minor scour.
The project is to remove this existing concrete T-beam superstructure and modify existing full-height concrete abutments to accommodate new and wider prestressed concrete box beam structure. The proposed prestressed concrete box beam simple span structure will replace the existing bridge.
The new bridge will be 32 feet wide with twin steel tube railing. Additional work consists of widening the roadway pavement and shoulders at both approaches to the bridge.
Fulton County will be seeking grants to help low to moderate income persons with various efforts to prevent slums or blight.
The County Commissioners will hold a public hearing at 10:15 a.m. April 19 at the commissioner’s chambers, 152 S. Fulton St., Wauseon. The hearing will offer the public an opportunity to be aware of what programs are available and the requirements to qualify.
The county intends to apply to the Ohio Development Service Agency for funding under the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant and the Home Investment Partnership programs.
James Pruitt may be reached at
publisher@thevillagereporter.com