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Ligget bridge a quandary
Some Douglas County School District bus drivers said they were told not to use the Liggett Road bridge because it's unsafe, but district officials deny that's the case.
By By: Susan Dage-Ruby
Some Douglas County School District bus drivers said they were told not to use the Liggett Road bridge because it's unsafe, but district officials deny that's the case.
"We are rerouting buses for convenience," said Steve Morrison, district executive director for education support services. "There will be some times the buses go over Liggett."
The bridge is the responsibility of the Colorado Department of Transportation. A representative of CDOT's bridge inspection said, in his opinion, ordering school buses to avoid the bridge would not be an alarmist position.
"School buses are heavy, and although the bridge is not unsafe, there is cracking and settling underneath," said Steven White of CDOT bridge management. "The superstructure and substructure of the bridge was rated high during its last inspection in July 1999, but the deck [roadbed] was rated poor."
The school district has been keeping an eye on the bridge, Morrison said.
"We have seen that rebar is exposed under the bridge," Morrison said. "But that's not the reason our buses aren't using the bridge."
The district tries to route buses in efficient ways to avoid traffic, Morrison said.
White said CDOT bridges are inspected every two years and Liggett is up for inspection in July of this year.
"It's not in the best of shape," White said. "The bridge is safe. There may be concerns about the deck."
The odds are that the Liggett Road bridge will undergo some work when Interstate 25 is widened in that area, said Bob Garcia, resident engineer for CDOT's region No. 1, which includes Douglas County.
Although plans for eliminating the interchange to U.S. 85 were delayed after the passage of Amendment 23, Garcia said CDOT plans to take the project back to the Legislature this year.
When voters agreed to give more money to schools, transportation projects were put on hold and delayed because some of the additional school funding was from money earlier earmarked for road improvements, Garcia said.
"The assumption is that when the new overpass is built that ties in Black Feather Trail to U.S. 85 is completed, there will be a decrease in traffic on Liggett," Garcia said.
However, Garcia said, if the inspection of the bridge in July shows the need for repair it won't wait until Interstate 25 is widened at that point.
"Either way, work probably will be done on the bridge," Garcia said.
"We are rerouting buses for convenience," said Steve Morrison, district executive director for education support services. "There will be some times the buses go over Liggett."
The bridge is the responsibility of the Colorado Department of Transportation. A representative of CDOT's bridge inspection said, in his opinion, ordering school buses to avoid the bridge would not be an alarmist position.
"School buses are heavy, and although the bridge is not unsafe, there is cracking and settling underneath," said Steven White of CDOT bridge management. "The superstructure and substructure of the bridge was rated high during its last inspection in July 1999, but the deck [roadbed] was rated poor."
The school district has been keeping an eye on the bridge, Morrison said.
"We have seen that rebar is exposed under the bridge," Morrison said. "But that's not the reason our buses aren't using the bridge."
The district tries to route buses in efficient ways to avoid traffic, Morrison said.
White said CDOT bridges are inspected every two years and Liggett is up for inspection in July of this year.
"It's not in the best of shape," White said. "The bridge is safe. There may be concerns about the deck."
The odds are that the Liggett Road bridge will undergo some work when Interstate 25 is widened in that area, said Bob Garcia, resident engineer for CDOT's region No. 1, which includes Douglas County.
Although plans for eliminating the interchange to U.S. 85 were delayed after the passage of Amendment 23, Garcia said CDOT plans to take the project back to the Legislature this year.
When voters agreed to give more money to schools, transportation projects were put on hold and delayed because some of the additional school funding was from money earlier earmarked for road improvements, Garcia said.
"The assumption is that when the new overpass is built that ties in Black Feather Trail to U.S. 85 is completed, there will be a decrease in traffic on Liggett," Garcia said.
However, Garcia said, if the inspection of the bridge in July shows the need for repair it won't wait until Interstate 25 is widened at that point.
"Either way, work probably will be done on the bridge," Garcia said.
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