C+S June 2023 Vol. 9 Issue 6 (web)

$25 million has been announced to repair and preserve Gardner River High Bridge, located in the Wyoming-based portion of Yellowstone National Park. This bridge was built in 1939 and federal funding will be available for a project launch in late 2023 or early 2024. Another $13.1 million allocation will support a project to replace the Sun River Bridge in Montana’s Lewis and Clark County. The project will focus on a 105-year-old, 225-foot-long, single lane, structurally deficient bridge that has historically provided access to numerous state and federal public lands. These projects are just a small sampling of the type of upcoming opportunities that will be available in 2023 and 2024. A lack of funding has held public officials back from addressing critical infrastructure needs in past years, but that obstacle has been removed. Not only is funding available, new technology and construction methods are being embraced because of the speed and sustainability that they offer. America is moving quickly now to enhance its infrastructure, and bridge repair is at the top of the priority list.

Now is the time for interested contractors to approach public owners to ask for more detailed information about projects of interest. Planning documents, design outlines, and cost projections are available for the asking. The public at large and especially the citizens who travel across the bridges are the primary benefactors, but many regions will also benefit from job creation and economic vitality. America’s global competitiveness will be enhanced, and taxpayers will benefit because the country’s infrastructure assets will be upgraded and preserved for another century if this type of work continues.

MARY SCOTT NABERS Nabers is President/CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI).

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June 2023 csengineermag.com

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