Permission being sought to move bridge

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

One of the most ornate metal truss bridges in Kansas could be relocated to Fort Scott if the Kansas Historic Sites Board of Review approves the request at a hearing in Topeka next week.

Committee members of the Fort Scott Bourbon County Riverfront Authority are seeking the board's approval to move the Long Shoals Bridge in the northeast part of the county in an effort to save the deteriorating and impassable vintage-1902 bridge.

The 175-foot long bridge is in danger of collapsing, Riverfront committee member Dean Mann.

"If it's not relocated, it will eventually fall into the Osage River and we'd hate to lose a historical and very attractive bridge," Mann said.

The FSBCRA is essentially hoping the board will approve the relocation and allow the bridge to remain listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Earning its listing in 1990 for its design and construction significance, Long Shoals is one of six bridges in Bourbon County on the list.

The FSBCRA's request proposes moving the bridge 16 miles south of its current location across the Osage River to a location spanning the Marmaton River between U.S. Highway 69 and North National Avenue. The bridge would serve as a pedestrian and light vehicle bridge for the proposed Riverfront Park.

Sarah Martin, the National Register coordinator for the Kansas Historical Society, said relocation requests for historic sites aren't common or usually approved because of the potential loss of historic value.

Bridges tend to be the only exception, Martin said.

Only a couple requests are made every few years, Martin said, and the FSBCRA request is somewhat unique.

"This one is a little unusual in that it's a huge bridge," Martin said.

The 11-member board, appointed by Gov. Sam Brownback, must determine whether or not certain criteria can be met if the bridge is moved. Martin said the board considers the criteria under which the bride was initially listed; the proposal; and whether the new site mimics the original location.

Keeping the bridge on the historic register will enable the FSBCRA to pursue certain grants that could ease the cost of relocation and assembly.

Mann said he estimates a project of this size could cost anywhere from $300,000 to $400,000.

"Our hope is to be able to receive a grant to relocate that bridge to and get another grant to install it," Mann said. "Anytime something is on the register if you change it, it will disqualify it for its registration. We're trying to preserve that registration while relocating the bridge. It could open a lot of doors for us."

The Kansas Historic Sites Board of Review meets quarterly to consider applications for grant funding, nominations and relocation requests.

Local historian and FSBCRA board of directors member Arnold Schofield will be attending the May 12 hearing in Topeka to determine the future of the bridge. The FSBCRA will still need to seek approval from the National Registry in Washington, D.C., if the state accepts the relocation proposal.

In essence, this is the first step in what could be a lengthy process.

"It's a long-term project," Schofield said. "It's going to take a while for the planning process to be done and to secure funding to do it."

While the county currently owns the bridge, county commissioners said they would transfer the span to the FSBRCA for just $1.

County Commission Chairman Harold Coleman said he hopes the request is approved.

The Long Shoals bridge holds some personal memories for Coleman.

"I've walked across that bridge since I was a kid and I would love to see it moved and come here," Coleman said. "He (Mann) is working his backside off to get her done and I hope he does."

If approved for the move, the FSBCRA will be responsible for maintenance and landscaping at the new location. The committee also plans to provide "interpretive wayside exhibits" that will contain a history of the bridge to document its historic significance, according the proposal.

The Historic Sites Board of Review meetings are open to the public.

For more information, contact the Cultural Resources Division in Topeka at (785) 272-8681, ext. 240.