The commission also approved a request by County Engineer Chip Woods to remove the weight limits of 18 county bridges and alter the weight limits on an additional 10 to comply with federal law.
Woods said there was nothing structurally wrong with the bridges, but the formula for how those limits are developed had been changed. The Road and Bridge Department will be responsible for changing or removing signs at each bridge and then will need to provide photographic proof to the Kansas Department of Transportation once the work is complete.
Woods said the county’s failure to comply could result in the loss of potential federal funding in the future.
“All of this is to keep the feds happy,” Woods said.
Commissioners praised Woods for the local department’s record keeping, which has also been recognized by KDOT. The county is required to keep a separate file for each bridge in the county — around 400.
“You guys are really efficient,” Commissioner Dan Slater said. “We have a good road and bridge department and a lot of counties don’t.”
(Read more: Emporia Gazette)