Letter: Bridge doesn’t need to be replaced

Rio Blanco County and the Colorado Department of Transportation are partners in a project to replace a bridge over the South Fork of the White River a few miles below the South Fork Campground. The existing bridge is a single lane, steel truss located on a single-lane county road, which ends a few miles to the south. Most of the traffic using the road is traveling to and from the campground. The heaviest load carried by the bridge is probably a four-horse trailer.
This bridge will cost an estimated $1 million, with Rio Blanco County paying about half the cost. CDOT’s portion of the cost will come from their Bridge Replacement Program.
Rather than spend this large amount of money on a low-volume country road, repairs should be made that would ensure the safety of the structure, and the money saved used on bridges which carry more traffic.
Dick Prosence
Meeker