By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
The Ellis County Commission discussed with city of Ellis officials the replacement of the 10th Street bridge in Ellis, which has fallen into disrepair.
The commissioners went on a road tour, led by the Ellis County Public Works Department, on Wednesday to personally assess the county's roads and bridges that require attention.
The day began near the city of Ellis's 10th Street bridge, which was the center of discussion for replacement designs, and how costs and responsibilities would be divided.
"The bridge is wider than what normal bridges are," Ellis County administrator Darin Myers said. "Most likely that's due to the way it was designed back in the day for the city of Ellis."
Ellis County Public Works Director Brendan Mackay informed attendees the bridge, including its road surface, is aging and deteriorating structurally.
"There's asphalt over it. The bridge looks fine, but it's not fine. [The image] shows the delamination of the layers underneath the asphalt. That's hollow areas," he said.
Mackay outlined three options: replacing just the deck, replacing the entire superstructure or fully rebuilding the bridge, including the piers.
City of Ellis council members emphasized the importance of collaborating to ensure the bridge is rebuilt correctly, cost-effectively and in a manner that benefits the community.
While the county owns the bridge, its location within city limits has prompted discussions about sharing costs if the design exceeds standard specifications.
Myers said the county would cover the cost of a standard-width bridge, but any additional features, such as sidewalks or bike lanes, would fall under the City of Ellis’ financial responsibility.
Mackay mentioned the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program grant as a potential funding source for the county and city. A complete bridge replacement is estimated to cost about $2.5 million.
Myers said the best choice is to fully replace the bridge, while the second option—repairing only the structure above the piers—may be less expensive upfront, but is not a viable long-term solution.
"If we leave the piers but put a whole new steel structure... that may get you 40 to 50 years and then you now have a 100-year bridge sitting on top of a pier that's only worth 40 years," he said. "Yes, it's cheaper, but it could be something that costs us more in the years ahead."
County officials agreed to continue collaborating with the city of Ellis, but emphasized the city needs to decide on sidewalk and width preferences to direct engineers and avoid unnecessary expenses.
Catherine Road
The Ellis County Commission also visited Catherine Road, where reconstruction is underway to address deteriorating asphalt. Crews are rebuilding the road base in preparation for a new asphalt overlay.
Vineyard Road and Commerce Parkway
Vineyard Road and Commerce Parkway is a collaborative project between the Ellis County Commission and the city of Hays. The road base has been rebuilt, and ditches have been installed for improved drainage. An asphalt overlay is scheduled for later this summer.
Old Highway 40
The county commission toured multiple areas of Old Highway 40, including east of Walker Avenue and the interchange at Old Highway 40 and Eighth Street.
Mackay said plans are in place to repair cracked panels at the interchange later this year and to redesign the crossovers at the location.
Toulon Avenue
Toulon Avenue has developed pavement ruts that create noticeable wobbling, especially for larger and heavier vehicles. The scheduled overlay was moved up from 2026 to 2025.
Mackay said the county also plans to seek grants to widen the road and add shoulders.
Other locations the Ellis County road tour visited included:
• 210th Avenue
• Vineyard Avenue
• Little Creek Addition
• Leiker Addition
• Stonewood Estates North Addition
• Ellis County Landfill
• Stonewood Estates
• Canterbury Road
• Reservation Road and developments
• 280th Avenue