County Commissioners voted 2-1 during their April 22 meeting to extend a funding contract with the state for the Armington Bridge project.
In May 2021, the Montana Coal Endowment Program awarded $750,000 to Cascade County for construction of a replacement bridge.
The Armington Bridge near Belt has “been a source of significant flood damage and challenges to the residents of Cascade County and the motoring public, so because of this, the County and TD&H worked together to find a funding resource to help with the cost to replace this bridge,” according to county public works.
The county intended to cover the remaining $1,263,088 in project costs.
Armington Bridge to close for replacement design process [2023]
In April 2022, the county signed a contract with the Montana Department of Commerce securing the funding through Dec. 31, 2025.
Due to unforeseen circumstances with BNSF, the county hasn’t been able to obtain all of the necessary permits to move forward with the project putting the project several years behind, according to Les Payne, county public works director.
Payne submitted a letter to the state on March 18 requesting an extension of the funding agreement that the state has approved and is now extended through March 31, 2028.
Construction costs were estimated in 2020 to be $1.6 million.
County awards design contract for Armington Bridge replacement [2021]
Due to inflation and BNSF items now required, the cost is now an estimated $2.4 million and the county has $2.8 million reserved for the project.
In his March 18 letter to the state requesting the extension, Payne wrote that the 30 percent design documents were submitted to BNSF as adjacent landowners on Nov. 16, 2023 for comments.
Payne wrote that they expected the review to take a few months, but BNSF provided its comments to TD&H on Jan. 15, 2025.
County in preliminary stage of replacing Armington Bridge [2021]
Payne wrote that there were no surprising comments from a technical design perspective, but BNSF then said the county would need to purchase a new easement.
The county agreed to move forward with purchasing the easement in March, but “due to the lengthy BNSF review, the project has slipped behind the implementation schedule. Also note, BNSF will require another review at the 100 percent plans. That review may take just as long,” Payne wrote in his March letter.
TD&H is working on the final design, which is expected in August. At that point, county staff will submit it to BNSF for review, which staff is estimating to take a year, according to Payne’s letter.
County pursuing grant for Armington Bridge repair [2020]
Assuming the process follows that schedule, construction is tentatively planned for the summer of 2027.
During their April 22 meeting, Commissioner Joe Briggs said that the project is giving him “heartburn” due to the uncooperative neighboring property owner and “dollar creep.”
He said that at this point he still wanted to move forward since the “safety factors overrule the cost, but count me as an unhappy camper.”
Payne said tariffs and inflation are unknowns and costs could continue to rise, but so far, “the cost went up significantly because of BNSF,” and he anticipates another $500,000 in county costs to get the project out to bid.
Payne said the county’s next step is to purchase the easement then his office will solitic for construction bids. Once they have bids, county officials will have a better idea of costs compared to available resources and make a decision on whether to move forward.
Commissioner Eric Hinebauch said he was “uncomfortable” with the project since he thinks costs will continue to increase and voted against the funding contract extension.
Commissioner Jim Larson said that the bridge is usable, but the debris that catches on the bridge supports would be eliminated in a new bridge design.
He said he’s seen county roads having to clear the debris in fast moving high water and “it’s not a safe issue.”
Larson said he’d vote to extend the funding agreement and then make changes to the project down the road if needed.
Payne said that traffic on the bridge has about doubled from the 2014 count and it’s in good structural condition that would need rails replaced eventually if not fully replaced.
Larson said that truck traffic uses the Armington Bridge as the height clearances off the other bridges into Belt are too low for some trucks.
He said he didn’t to further delay the project and see costs continue to rise.
Payne said he’d bring any substantial changes or further cost increases to commissioners for consideration.
In three years, Payne said, “it feels like we’ve gone nowhere.”
