STORY ROADS AND BRIDGES

As addressed on Page 15 of our SWAMP one of the issues is stated as follows:

“ Many roads and bridges are too narrow and lack proper load bearing structure for the fire equipment presently in use by the SVFD.”

The recommendations in the SWAMP are as follows:

• Seek funds (grants) for the purpose of widening private and subdivision road segments, expanding turn around opportunities, and replacing single lane bridges.
• Submit a proposal with rationale and estimated costs to the County for bridge and road upgrades on County Roads need to accommodate structural fire equipment access.
• Establish an interim suppression policy utilizing smaller trucks to transport Floto pumps with hose for initiating safe and effective initial attack on structures in areas here the structural engine is unsafe and too large or too heavy for the access facilities.

The recommendation on secondary roads and driveways that are over 200 feet long should be at least 20 feet wide. Turn around opportunities should be provided with either a “T” turn around or a turn around loop that has a radius of 45 feet.

Sheridan County has replaced the North Piney Bridge and that is complete except for a final rating by engineers.

The other bridges that our fire trucks must cross are in subdivisions and are not owned by the county. These bridges are the responsibility of the subdivision associations. Many of these bridges have been field tested by ‘concrete trucks’, ‘logging trucks’ and ‘other heavy trucks’ but may not have an official weight rating.

If you have any information about the bridge in you neighbor hood please share that info with us. We would like very much to not have our structure truck crash through your bridge in route to a fire in your area. While we have not found a funding source for any necessary upgrades for these subdivision roads we would be glad to work with the subdivision associations in brainstorming ideas and solutions. (You can contact John Lunbeck at lunbeck@fiberpipe.net to discuss this.)

Following are pictures of some of the bridges in questions. While the surface of the bridge may look a little rough the supporting structure may or may not be adequate.

Can you identify these Story bridges? 

Design specifications