State’s bridges considered safe but need work

It was nine years ago next month that a hole several feet wide opened up on the Cimarron Street bridge in Colorado Springs.

Weight restrictions and traffic limitations were enacted while repairs were made.

The incident surprised many engineers who pride themselves on repairing or replacing a bridge before it shows such damage.

However, most bridges can look bad but remain structurally sound and safe for traffic, Mark Andrew, a program engineer with the Colorado Department of Transportation, said Monday.

Andrew said of nearly 400 bridges under CDOT’s jurisdiction that are rated fair or poor, 119 are in El Paso and Pueblo Counties but the agency is gradually working on the worst bridges.

“Right now, we don’t have, nor have had, any safety issues with regard to any of our bridges,” he said. “We haven’t had to close any recently that I’m aware of.”

Andrew said the state gets more than $100 million annually for bridges.

El Paso County Engineer Andre Brackin said the county’s bridges are in good shape overall but several need replacement soon. One on the list, is the Golden Lane Bridge that provides access to an RV park near 30th and Colorado Avenue.

Brackin said bridges on the replacement list are eligible for federal funding to cover 80 percent of the cost.

“They must have a rating below 50 to qualify,” he said.

Bridge information for Colorado Springs was unavailable Monday.