By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Commissioner Daniel Friesen asked Public Works Director Don Brittain Tuesday how much costs increased on the 43rd Street bridge project as a result of working with the railroad.
"When we first was going to build that bridge over that railroad, we figured it would be a haunched slab bridge at the same size of bridge and covering a single track that was existing there," Brittain said. "The railroad insisted on having a bridge with an opening large enough for three tracks and a side road on each side of it. That took out the possibility of building a haunched slab bridge, because they don't build them that long. That created a totally different kind of bridge and it just blew up from there. We got so far into it and so committed into it, that it was really too late to turn back. That's why this bridge is so expensive is due to what the railroad demanded."
Friesen wants to see policy changes at the state level.
"I've had some experience with railroads in my private business and it's a similar situation," Friesen said. "You're held hostage a lot of times and I just made note here. I'll certainly make note to our legislators that I think there could be some work done at the state level. We have to work with them, but at the end of the day, this is costing taxpayers all over the state significant amounts of money and I think there could be a better compromise in what authority they have."
Commissioner Ron Sellers agreed with Friesen.
"I think Commissioner Friesen's thoughts about working through our state resources to communicate the problems of how railroads can increase costs without anybody having any power to control those costs, I think that's an excellent thing either for our state county association or to make known to our legislators," Sellers said. "I think it might be appropriate to ask the county administrator to draft a letter to our local legislators of the substance that Daniel was speaking about."
Sellers notes that it is a point that will go on forever, unless someone tries to move it in the other direction.
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