Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Gottshalk Road to be closed while span work ongoing
COLFAX — Whitman County commissioners voted Monday, June 6, to close a portion of Gottshalk Road as a precursor to replacing Gutchaulk Bridge .
“It’s a wooden bridge currently. It’s an all wood substructure and what we are going to do is completely remove the structure and put in a steel culvert pipe and cover it with gravel,” county Public Works Operations Manager Brandon Kruger told commissioners during their meeting.
Kruger reported that locals can expect closure on Gottschalk Road to allow for bridge and culvert replacement.
“It’s a dirt road. The bridge structure is out in the middle of the road and if people need to navigate to their fields they can navigate up to the bridge but cannot pass through the construction zone,” he said. “The road will only be closed at the construction zone.”
Public Works officials expect to begin construction later this month or in early July.
Construction is expected wrap up two weeks after starting.
“These culvert replacements go very quickly and we expect it to be done in two weeks time,” he said. “For unforeseen circumstances, it may vary and take longer.”
A decades old county program allows Public Works to select 2-4 bridges every year to replace.
“This bridge was selected and just upgrading and replacing the bridge is good,” Kruger said. “The maintenance on a wood bridge is high.
“The cost of replacement of a structure we won’t have to maintain is incredibly appealing.”
Kruger reported that construction on bridges is budget-dependent.
“The material alone is about $30,000 for just the culvert replacement,” he said. “We will have labor, gravel, and other costs.
“To replace the wooden bridge with a steel bridge could cost up to $150,000 for just materials.”
Olivia Harnack is a Journalist at the Whitman County Gazette. Olivia is enrolled at University of Idaho and is majoring in digital film studies. She serves in the United States Army National Guard and is proud to serve Whitman County.
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