By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Every two years, Barton County is required to have bridge inspections. With the last inspection occurring in 2023, Barton County Engineer Barry McManaman recommended Kirkham Michael to perform the 2025 inspections following the Kansas Department of Transportation’s “Scope of Services for Local Routine Bridge Inspections.”
"KDOT is going to a new bridge inspection system," said McManaman. "I really feel like Kirkham Michael would behoove us to hire them again with their familiarity with our bridges and willingness to help us when we have issues."
Barton County is required to have all 372 bridge-length structures inspected.
The Barton County Commission accepted the bid from Kirkham Michael for $40,960. Commissioner Tricia Schlessiger felt the bid was a good price.
"I thought it was interesting to point out that it's only $108 a bridge," said Schlessiger. "That does not seem like that much considering how much time they have to spend at each bridge."
McManaman said the engineering firm will be doing the inspections next March.