APRIL 18, 2025|
Photo – Baggot Rocks Road bridge – Bigfoot99 file photo
Carbon County officials, not WYDOT, ordered the closure of the County Road 680 bridge at the south end of the Platte Valley. The bridge, along with another on County Road Three, are scheduled to be replaced in the future.
On April 3rd, the Wyoming Department of Transportation recommended closing the Baggot Rocks Road Bridge, crossing over the Encampment River. A routine inspection carried out through WYDOT’s Bridge Program identified unspecified safety concerns, leading to the bridge being closed to traffic.
The Baggot Rocks Road bridge is owned by the county, making it the county’s responsibility to pay for repairs. In a written statement to Bigfoot99, WYDOT District One Senior Public Relations Specialist Andrea Staley stated, “We closed it based on the inspection, but the county will be the one that needs to repair it.”
On April 8th, the Board of Carbon County Commissioners held a special meeting to discuss the status of the bridge. County officials accepted WYDOT’s recommendation and closed the bridge to all vehicular traffic.
A statement released by County Road and Bridge Coordinator Kandis Fritz stated that the closure was temporary, noting that the county was already working to determine the estimated cost of repairing the bridge.
In a separate written statement to Bigfoot99, Fritz wrote that the Board of Commissioners chose to close County Road 680 and the damaged bridge, not WYDOT. The county commissioners were following WYDOT’s recommendation, issued on April 3rd.
The matter was discussed further during the April 15th Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting. Road and Bridge Coordinator Fritz told the Board that soon after the bridge was closed, a representative from the Laramie-based engineering firm Reiman Corporation was on site to evaluate the structure. Fritz said the engineer developed a plan to repair the bridge. However, WYDOT has the final say on whether the proposed fixes will be sufficient.
Audio PlayerOne company, Reiman Corporation quoted $106,350 for repairs to the Baggot Rocks Road bridge.
The Board of Carbon County Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the bridge repairs using money from the Road and Bridge budget. The Board did not provide a timeline for the project, stating that work will begin after WYDOT approves the plan.
The County Road 680 bridge is scheduled to be replaced in 2030 through WYDOT’s Bridge Replacement Off System, or BROS, program. However, the county commissioners agreed that landowners who depend on the crossing cannot wait five years for its replacement.
Another county-owned bridge, this one on County Road Three over the Medicine Bow River, is included in the WYDOT BROS program. During their April 15th meeting, the Board of Carbon County Commissioners reviewed a contract allowing the state agency to perform a recon report on the County Road Three bridge.
Road and Bridge Coordinator Fritz explained that the recon report will determine if the bridge needs to be replaced or if it can be repaired. Should WYDOT recommend a complete replacement, Fritz said she will push for a less expensive bridge. The contract requires the county to contribute roughly ten percent of the project total, which will be at least $11,000.
Audio PlayerOnce the agreement is signed, the county is obligated to see the entire bridge replacement project through to the end. County Attorney Ashley Davis explained that if the Board decides not to complete the project, it will be responsible for all costs incurred up to that point, not just the original ten percent.
Audio PlayerWith the report in hand, the Board will know if the County Road Three bridge must be entirely replaced or if it can be repaired.
Commissioner John Johnson said he planned to abstain from the vote because the bridge is located near his Elk Mountain ranch. Commissioner Johnson explained that he does not support spending millions of dollars to replace a bridge that mainly benefits him.
Audio PlayerThe Board of Carbon County Commissioners voted to sign the WYDOT recon report for the County Road Three bridge, with Commissioner Johnson abstaining.
