Construction / Special Programs

The Construction and Special Programs Section is responsible for the following:

1. Repair stream bank scour and erosion at bridges.
2. Obtain regulatory agencies’ permits.
3. Apply hydraulic techniques to stabilize and restore stream channels.
4. Repair failed roadway prisms due to slides, sink holes, and waterway erosion.
5. Coordinate repairs to river revetments by contractors and the US Army Corps of Engineers.
6. Provide assistance as the Lewis County R.I.D. (Road Improvement District) Coordinator.
7. Develop inventory systems to manage stream related problems.
8. Test all materials for road and bridge construction projects. Provide
   Quality Assurance on all materials purchased by the County.
9. Manage the Bridge Inspection Unit -

An inspection schedule is continually maintained and updated in order to
balance the number of inspections that need to be performed at one
time. Lewis County is responsible for the inspection and records of 202
bridges. Twenty-four of these bridges require annual inspection, and
the remainder require inspection every twenty-four months. Lewis County
has set up two, three week inspection periods; one in the spring and
the other in early fall or late summer, during low flow times.

A certified bridge inspector and one assistant must perform bridge
inspections. The inspector makes an indepth evaluation of the bridge
structure condition, and records information about any detectable
defects. Bridges show increasing signs of deterioration as a result of
age, usage, and waterway instability. The inspection record developed
over several years of observation enables the engineer to make an
assessment about the overall condition of the structure.