CALDWELL, Idaho — A lane on the 10th Avenue Bridge in Caldwell has been closed due to deteriorating infrastructure. The historic bridge, originally owned by the Idaho Transportation Department, has been part of the city since the 1950s. It has faced ongoing issues since 2021.
I spoke with Deputy Public Works Director Bruce Mills about the closure and the challenges behind the repairs.
“The bridge was inspected on a regular basis every couple of years, and they found some deterioration on some of the girders underneath—fairly minor, but just enough that you should put out a contract and do some repairs,” Mills said.
Repairs have become more urgent over time due to failed contracts and bids over the past two years.
“The bid was much higher than we thought it was going to be. We decided to rebid it in 2024 with more money, and we got no bidders,” Mills explained.
Recently, a state inspector discovered the significant deterioration of a girder, prompting the decision to close the lane on 10th Avenue for driver safety and issue an emergency repair order. However, the process has been delayed due to the bridge’s location over railroad tracks.
“Unfortunately, it has taken a while to go through all the hoops of getting a permit from Union Pacific, but we have the permit in place. We have other documents the contract needs to get the work done,” Mills said.
The estimated cost for repairs is between $150,000 and $200,000, but a grant from the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council will help cover some of the costs for both emergency and final repairs.
“It will help out greatly in this bridge repair, both the emergency and the final cost of the bridge,” Mills said.
Director Mills also noted that construction may take longer, continuing to affect traffic flow as they wait for specially ordered materials to complete repairs.
“There’s a bearing pad that is a special order, and it’s been ordered, but it takes time to be made,” Mills said.