Seward county commissioners are urging participation in an online survey due to lack of responses and a Feb. 14 deadline.
Responses from the 25 question survey are being used to supplement a Bridge Investment Program grant application, in conjunction with Butler county. The survey takes less than 15 minutes to complete.
The BIP is a competitive, discretionary program that focuses on existing bridges to reduce the overall number of bridges in poor condition, or in fair condition at risk of falling into poor condition from the United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration.
“All the bridges (considered in the grant application) are located in northwest Seward County and one is on the Seward/Butler County line,” Raegan Hain, district 3 commissioner, said.
The federal grant open to state and local governments is competitive to secure funding. If the grant is secured there is cost sharing or match requirement, but the annual award would be over $10 million.
“There is a community match. The county share would be $1,285,623.00 and 80% is federal funding,” Hain said.
The FWHA’s “Bridge Project Grants” category has an application deadline of Feb. 19, making participation in the survey critical.
To date Seward county has only received 10 survey responses.
“We held a community outreach meeting in Staplehurst on Jan. 23 to hear from producers and EMS providers about the difficulties they encounter having to go around these bridges due to weight and width restrictions,” Hain said. “We provided them with a survey and are looking for greater responses to the surveys to add to our grant application.”
The survey is only available at https://s.surveyplanet.com/3jsthfx3.
