Bridge skim project could raise limits

A county Public Works crew took out 15.5 tons of asphalt and oil after skimming off two to three inches off the top of the Ackerman Bridge last week on Young Road north of Dusty.

The span is one of 56 in the county to get a new load rating for single-unit loads after inspections were conducted last fall.

Susan Kovich, consulting structural engineer, is now evaluating it for what new load limit will be posted, following the asphalt removal.

The work was done on this bridge specifically after county commissioners received comments from farmers in the area of the importance of the route for heavy loads.

“Since there’s less dead weight on the bridge now, it can accommodate more truck weight,” said Mark Storey, Whitman County Public Works Director.

The bridge is now posted at a limit of 21 tons for single-axle trucks.

The depth of asphalt on the bridge came from years of chip-seal maintenance on Young Road.

“It’s hard to chip seal a road and not a bridge on the route,” Storey said.

New limits are expected to be posted in the next two weeks.