At least one county bridge was destroyed in Friday morning’s torrential down-pour, but a full assessment of other structures will have to wait until flood waters recede.
A portion of the upstream abutment lays in the creek bed under a bridge in the 6000 block of County Road 28. The entire structure sustained significant damage during Friday’s early morning storms. Is it now impassable and the road between Pickrelltown and Township Road 164 is closed to through traffic. (EXAMINER PHOTO | JOEL E. MAST)
Todd Bumgardner with the Logan County Engineer’s Office said a bridge in the 6000 block of County Road 28 will have to be replaced after its abutments and bridge deck were nearly washed away by flash flooding.
Nearby, road approaches to a bridge on Monroe Township Road 164 were washed out and will have to be replaced, while a double-barrel culvert on Monroe Township Road 163 will need attention, too.
Bumgardner believes the township road issues can be remedied in a few days, but C.R. 28 will be closed for months.
Plans will have to be developed and then a contract awarded for materials and construction as the size of the project exceeds the capabilities of the engineer’s bridge building crews.
Rick Taylor, who lives just north of the bridge, said there are three spring-fed creeks that come together at the bridge.
The creek stretches out like fingers to the east into rolling farm fields and hilly wooded areas.
In 20 years living there, he has never seen such an amount of water flow through the ravines behind his property.
Bumgardner said the combination of heavy rainfall and steep terrain contributed to flash flooding that hit the bridge.
Elsewhere, Bumgardner said there is concern with a bridge on County Road 173, a plastic bridge at Lions Park in West Liberty and numerous bridges over the Great Miami River.
Assessments of those structures will have to wait until the water levels recede.
County Road 1 at Castle Hill is closed as the floods caused severe washouts along the side of the road, leaving drop offs up to three feet.
The Logan County Emergency Management Agency continues to monitor the flooding impact.
Residents who have experienced flood or sewage water damage with this storm should contact the EMA at (937) 593-5743.
Please leave a name, address, phone number and an estimated amount of water in the residence if the call goes to an answering machine.