Southern Colorado officials explain efforts to acquire bridge funding, prioritize replacement projects

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The relatively slow pace of demolishing and replacing old bridges isn't surprising, perhaps, when you consider the number of construction projects needed, how expensive they are, how limited funding is and the strong competition for that money.

Currently in the Pikes Peak region, $212 million is being spent on just four bridge construction projects: $114 million on an interchange project in Pueblo; $40 million on the new quartet of Circle Drive bridges in Colorado Springs; $46 million on the overpass project at the Airport Road/Powers Boulevard intersection in the Springs; and $12 million to replace the Union Avenue bridge in Pueblo.

The Pueblo and Circle Drive projects will rebuild bridges that are 50 or more years old and rated in poor condition.

The bridge situation became starkly clear during a recent interview with state Sen. Tony Exum, a Democrat from Colorado Springs who is a member of the Senate Transportation Committee.

KRDO 13's The Road Warrior asked Exum if he was aware that according to KRDO 13's research, El Paso County has the state's highest percentage bridges in fair condition -- just a step above poor and likely to further deteriorate -- and among the highest percentages of poor bridges.

"I did not know that, no," he admitted.

The Road Warrior asked the senator if he has any plans or ideas about proposing legislation that might provide more funding to allow more bridges get repaired or replaced sooner.

His response may seem disappointing.

"I don't, and we really haven't talked about it in our Transportation Legislative Review Committee," he said.

But Exum elaborated further.

"I think what I'm interested to see each year is when we get our reports from all the departments on how they're doing -- and we've put, I'd say, a significant amount of pressure on C-DOT to do better with the funding it's given."

Exum said that Colorado receives around $230 million in bridge funding from a variety of sources; seemingly a drop in the bucket of bridge needs across a state that has more than 8,000 bridges.

Drivers also provide bridge funding through vehicle registration fees every year.

According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, drivers pay an annual surcharge of between $13 and $32, based on vehicle weight; drivers also contribute between 94 cents and $2.50 annually to county road and bridge funds.

Still, it's not nearly enough -- and that increases the challenge on local and state officials to quickly identify and prioritize bridges in need of replacement, as well as keeping poor and fair bridges maintained until they are eventually rebuilt.

Amber Shipley, a spokesperson with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), explains how that's done.

"We prioritize it through a data-driven approach through our evaluations, and we'll take it based on the repairs or rehabilitation or replacement needs, the amount of traffic that drives on the roadway daily, and the percentage that is commercial vehicles -- which provide more weight and impact on the roadways."

That approach explains why bridges such as those mentioned above are prioritized above those also in poor condition but with fewer traffic impacts.

Gayle Sturdivant, deputy public works director for Colorado Springs, touted the city's bridge maintenance program as one of the best in the nation.

"And we know that because we hear it from other people," she explained. "With our bridge maintenance program, we really try to keep them in those ratings at 5 or 6 for as long as possible, and they can stay there for decades in those areas. What we do look at, though, are the individual component ratings. They kind of know, as leading indicators, if a bridge might fall into that poor condition."

An example of that approach developed this summer when El Paso County officials suddenly closed a 75-year-old wooden bridge on a rural road near Calhan, after an inspection found evidence of rotting.

The county closed the bridge without initially explaining why, in an effort to increase safety and prevent a bridge failure; officials are now taking a closer look at their ten remaining wooden, or timber, bridges.

A low water crossing has temporarily replaced the bridge until the county determines the best future action to take.

Despite numerous bridge needs, limited funding and the slow pace of improvements, there has been progress.

In the past two years, CDOT has reduced its list of poor bridges in southern Colorado from 40 to 12, by either replacing them or doing enough repairs to lift them into the fair category.

Sturdivant said that Colorado Springs invests $15 million annually in bridge maintenance.

"It's cheaper to do that than to build a new bridge," she said. "With proper maintenance, a fair or poor bridge can remain safe to drive on for decades."

The focus on maintenance, Shipley said, is why Colorado hasn't had a bridge failure in recent history.