El Paso County to repair or replace nine timber bridges in next few years

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Officials said that recent inspections of its nine wooden (also known as timber) bridges found no significant or critical levels of deterioration and the structures remain safe to drive on.

The inspections resulted from last summer's sudden closing and subsequent demolition of a timber bridge on Ramah Road West, five miles north of Calhan; a routine inspection discovered evidence of rotting underneath.

According to officials, timber bridges were built between the 1930s and the 1950s. They're on gravel roads in rural areas and cross creeks or drainage areas on the northeast side of the county.

The county is being proactive in planning to repair or replace the remaining timber bridges over the next few years before they become a problem like the one near Calhan.

That bridge was replaced with a low-water crossing as a temporary solution and a new bridge could be built there.

"We like to do cost analysis and make sure that if we do replace a bridge, that it makes sense economically," said Amy Dahlberg, a county engineer. "And that can range from $100,000 to a couple million dollars per project."

Modern bridges are being built with steel or concrete and timber bridges generally aren't rebuilt, she said.

Most timber bridges have weight restrictions and one even has concrete barriers as guardrails for added safety.

"Yeah, they put those there because people kept driving into it," said a neighbor along the timber bridge at the north end of Peyton Highway.