The Beadle County Commission used a small courtroom in the Beadle County Courthouse to hold a meeting with residents affected by the collapse of the Foster Creek bridge at Lake Byron. Commission Chair Dick Werner made the purpose of the meeting very clear…
Mike Ball is a Huron resident with seasonal property around Lake Byron…
[audio:http://prprt.itmwpb.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/688/2010/09/bridgemeeting2.mp3|titles=bridgemeeting2]Ball presented approximately 75 signatures of residents who want the Commission to examine some sort of temporary span, especially because of the extra distance emergency personnel would have to travel…
[audio:http://prprt.itmwpb.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/688/2010/09/bridgemeeting3.mp3|titles=bridgemeeting3]Residents also had concerns about the condition of the current detour route, saying a half inch rain could make the road impassible and the fact snow has been known to drift up to 6 to 8 feet on the road. Beadle County Highway Superintendent Jerry Batien says the county is working hard to find a solution…
[audio:http://prprt.itmwpb.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/688/2010/09/bridgemeeting4.mp3|titles=bridgemeeting4]Batien went on to say that if weight limits on the bridge would have been observed by users, the bridge would likely still be in place. The Commission told residents any help they could give in locating materials to use in the replacement of the bridge would help the County control replacement costs. Another temporary repair may be usage of a two-lane, 140 foot “Bailey Bridge” in storage with the State Department of Transportation in Sioux Falls.