3/8/2011
UPDATE: Public hearing scheduled for bridge replacement project
News directors, editors: Updates with information on bridge location, county location and agency overseeing project
CROUCH - A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, March 15, to take comment on a project to replace the Middle Fork Payette River Bridge at Crouch.
The hearing will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Crouch Community Hall, 1022 Old Crouch Road. It will be an open-house format. Those interested in attending can stop by anytime between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Project staff will be available to answer questions, and displays will illustrate information on the project. A public hearing officer also will be available to take verbal comments. Comment sheets will be available for those who want to submit written comments.
Input is being taken on all aspects of the bridge replacement, including the location and design.
The existing bridge is on Old Crouch Road, on the south side of Crouch. It allows motorists to cross over the Middle Fork of the Payette River to reach Middle Fork Road or Anderson Creek Road.
The primary need for the project is safety. The bridge's timber deck is in poor condition. In addition, abutments are cracked and there is general wear and tear on the bridge. Those conditions led to weight restrictions on loads crossing the bridge.
The new bridge will be 37.5-feet-wide and 146-feet-long. It will include two 12-foot lanes and a six-foot shoulder on each side. The shoulders will provide safe access for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The bridge will not have the weight restrictions that limit the existing bridge.
The bridge was built in 1935; the bridge deck and other components were replaced around 1964. In addition, the north span of the bridge was rebuilt in 1990. The bridge serves the local community, links several outdoor recreation venues, and serves agricultural, mining and timber businesses.
The Local Highway Technical Assistance Council is overseeing the project to replace the bridge, which is part of Boise County's road system. Construction is anticipated to start in March or April of 2012. Demolition of the old bridge is expected to take place between July 1 and Sept. 30, 2013. The cost to build a new bridge and remove the old one is yet to be determined.