By TOBIAS MOWERY
Staff Reporter 

County planner gives update on plans for bike path repairs

 

February 24, 2022



WORLAND – The bike path just north of the canal on Airport Road will hopefully be repaired this summer after the retaining wall caused cracking along the pavement.

According to Washakie County Planner David Anderson, a couple of summers ago, the damage started with the pavement surface cracking north of the canal bridge.

“What has happened is that the retaining wall is settling vertically and it’s also starting to shift away from the bike path, which creates gaps, which forms cracks in the asphalt,” Anderson said. “We’ve tried to repair those a couple of times, but they keep getting worse. So it’s kind of a safety issue with having large, probably four-inch cracks in the pathway there.


“It’s mainly in the section between Lindon Lane and the canal.”


Anderson added that they did try patching the cracks for a couple of summers, but it didn’t hold up.

“We hired a geotechnical engineer to do an investigation and recommend solutions. Right now we’re looking to do a project where we would install fill against the outside of the retaining wall to support it and stabilize it,” he said. “The plan is, once that is stabilized then we would go back in and repair the asphalt.”

He added, “right now, we’re just waiting. There’s wetlands in the water drainage so we’re trying to work with our wetlands consultant and the [Army Corps of Engineers] to determine what mitigation we might have to do.”

Anderson explained that he wants the path repaired this summer, or at least start work on it.

“We’ve just kind of been having troubles getting through the wetlands issues, so as soon as we can get that, and get our mitigation requirements, we can proceed with the project.

“There is another spot that is potentially experiencing some retaining wall settlement as well that we’ll keep an eye on. But it’s not exhibited too much settlement at this point. So this is the big one right now and the only one that I’m aware of.”

Anderson added that any time there’s water along a pathway or road, it’s potentially a major issue. He also added that once they have finalized the design for the path, they will put out a bid for the repair work. They are currently in the engineering phase.

 
 

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