Codington County Updates Five-Year Highway Plan, Prioritizes Watertown-Area Bridges and Roads
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Codington County Commissioners opened a public hearing Tuesday on the county’s updated five‑year highway and transportation plan, a document Highway Superintendent Randy Falvey described as “a fluid program” shaped by annual bridge inspections, shifting priorities, and the possibility of future federal funding.
Falvey led the presentation, noting that the plan is developed in coordination with Banner Associates, the county’s bridge engineering firm, and First District for budgeting and formatting.
“This is an annual event, obviously,” Falvey said. “What it is is an update to our five‑year plan, which is a fluid program. So there are going to be some changes this year.”
He said Banner’s biannual bridge inspections continue to drive the county’s long‑term priorities.
“They give us an idea of the breakdown for what needs to be done with these bridges due to our biannual inspections,” he said. “Some bridges are inspected every other year, some are inspected every year.”
Falvey added that several roads were added to the plan this year to ensure they are eligible if federal dollars become available.
“If federal funding does become available, we want these roads to be on the five‑year plan so that at least they know they’re in our purview,” he said.
The county expects to submit the plan to the state for approval on October 6.
Three Projects Completed This Year
Falvey reported that three major projects were finished in 2024:
· 14th Avenue — fully replaced and reopened.
· 43rd Street — concrete and riprap work completed north of FedEx.
· County Road 3‑4 (463rd Avenue) — riprap project completed.
He also noted ongoing work on the I‑29/Highway 212 bypass route, including 169th Street (County Road 10‑4) and 460th Avenue (County Road 7‑5).
“We’re in the process of repaving that right now,” Falvey said. “We are hoping to have that done within the first to second week of October.”
Bridge Priorities Shift After 2024 Inspections
Falvey said this year’s bridge inspections required several adjustments to the plan, including new additions and timeline changes.
Two bridges near County Road 6, the route to Dakota Sioux Casino, were added:
“The one north of 6 is probably within the next five years going to need some work,” Falvey said. “This is beginning the process of getting funding for that.”
Another bridge on County Road 11 (Old Highway 81) was also added.
“They’re in fair shape yet, but we want to get this process started,” he said, estimating replacement sometime between 2027 and 2031, depending on deterioration.
Cottonwood Street Bridge Remains a Priority
The Cottonwood Street bridge, which the county closed earlier this year due to structural deterioration, remains scheduled for replacement next year.
“That’s the bridge we had to close this year due to more deterioration,” Falvey said. “We just missed out on getting grant funding for it last year by a small percentage. So we are going to reapply this year.”
Another nearby bridge already secured grant funding and is expected to begin construction this fall.
Other Bridge Movements
Falvey walked commissioners through several timeline changes:
· Township bridge (orange diamond) — bumped forward; lower priority.
· Sue Conifer bridge (green diamond) — bumped one year; not in urgent condition.
· Bridge moved from 2029 to 2031 — delayed due to higher‑need structures elsewhere.
· Oak Street bridge (red diamond) — application underway; currently functioning at half capacity.
· 31st Street bridge (orange diamond) — bumped; city structure not in immediate need.
· 177th Street bridge (blue diamond) — moved ahead due to worsening deterioration.
· Township bridge on far west side (blue diamond) — pushed out; does not qualify for funding and must be locally budgeted.
“Again, this is just a fluid program,” Falvey said. “There is going to be movement.”
Road Additions: Preparing for Possible Federal Funding
Falvey said several roads were added as “wishful thinking,” except for County Road 11, which will be repaved next year due to heavy industrial traffic from Northern Con‑Agg.
“We want to keep that in good shape,” he said. “And again, we want these on the five‑year plan so that if federal funding does become available, they know it’s in our purview.”
Public Comment: No Speakers Present
Commission Chair Troy VanDusen opened the floor for public comment, but no residents came forward.
The board will consider formal adoption of the plan on October 6. No action was taken Tuesday.
