Foster Road Bridge project troubled

A project to replace wooden shields for pilings supporting the Foster Road Bridge is running into trouble, Wahkiakum County Public Works Director Pete Ringen announced Tuesday.

Last December's flood pounded the bridge with trees and chunks of wood, damaging the guard rail and wooden planks used to shield bridge support pilings.

Ringen said the county has received $40,000 Federal Highway Administration funding to repair the flood damage, but the money must be spent by the end of May.

When the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife reviewed the permit application for the repair, it added a requirement that the county mitigate the work by planting trees along the riverbank. This will add to the cost, Ringen said.

And when contractors responded to the request for quotes, the costs came in much higher than estimated, Ringen said.

Ringen said he consulted with the state Department of Transportation and was told their emergency funding will be able to cover the increased cost.

Ringen said he will send out another request for quotes based on a more detailed project, with the contractor allowed to close Foster Road for several days to stage equipment on the bridge.