Bridge replacement a team effort

Lisa Phelps
Posted 1/22/25

WHEATLAND – The county road and bridge superintendent discussed the “unheard-of” feat of successfully replacing a condemned bridge within six weeks, and the final cost was just …

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Bridge replacement a team effort

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WHEATLAND – The county road and bridge superintendent discussed the “unheard-of” feat of successfully replacing a condemned bridge within six weeks, and the final cost was just around $22,000.
Road and bridge superintendent Chris Bookout gave credit to the foreman on the project, Mark Bolin, along with the rest of the crew, Beal Angle and Nick Klein. Together they “put in over 300 man-hours into getting that bridge straight. Overall, those are the guys there who are responsible for making it happen, and they did an amazing job. Now all we’re waiting on is the State (WYDOT) need to come through to do the load test. They were amazed at how quickly that got done.”
On Nov. 15, the county was notified the bridge failed WYDOT inspection and the road was closed with traffic re-routed several miles to avoid the condemned stream crossing.

The last section of a bridge removed several years ago from a Happy Hollow Road in Chugwater happened to be in the county yard and met the specifications needed to span Chug Creek on Bordeaux Road. Crane service was able to be contracted for Dec. 19 to place the bridge deck, and after the crew finished the attachment and surfacing, the bridge was re-opened on Dec. 30.
Platte County commissioner Ian Jolovich, also an engineer, volunteered his time and knowledge to provide engineering services to make sure the bridge, soil, and supporting structure met the proper specifications.
Platte County commission chairman Steve Shockley said Jolovich’s professional services contributed directly to the quick turnaround, adding, “I had a conversation with some people from another county, and they wanted to know why we didn’t contract that out. I said because we have an employee that has that ability to do those things in Platte County.”
Commissioner Jeb Baker shared his appreciation for the work of the county crew. “I went down there a few times to see how those guys were doing. Ian was there a few times, Steve was. The work those guys put in on those footings, and the compaction that they did. Some people don’t understand compaction, and I could tell those guys do. It was done top-notch, and it is said the crane guy got there early, and it took longer to pick and pull and get set up. That tells a lot about how good your guys were with that prep – that he didn’t have to wait around for anything.”