Third Street Bridge Repair

Third Street Bridge Repair
La Junta, Colorado

Reliant Construction completed critical structural repairs on the Third Street Bridge over Anderson Arroyo in La Junta, Colorado. The project addressed severe deterioration in key structural elements, restoring safety and extending the service life of an essential roadway for the community.

This project was delivered through the City of La Junta’s Sourcewell purchasing cooperative contract, allowing the necessary structural repairs to be performed quickly and safely.

Bridge inspections identified significant structural deficiencies requiring immediate repair. Extensive corrosion was observed, compromising the bridge’s load-carrying capacity at bearing locations and within primary structural members. Targeted, engineered repairs were required to address the following critical conditions:

50%–75% section loss in girder bottom flanges
Up to 100% section loss in girder webs
Deterioration at all bearing locations

This approach enabled Reliant Construction to focus on execution—optimizing both existing and new facilities to better serve campus needs. An existing maintenance building was converted into a hands-on classroom and training space, while new storage and support facilities were built for the maintenance team.

The Solution

Reliant Construction performed specialized structural repairs designed to stabilize the bridge and restore its performance. The work included:

Installation of engineered steel corbels to reinforce compromised bearing points
Repairs at critical locations:
- Abutment A1
- Pier P2
- Abutment A4
Structural load transfer improvements
Precise field installation aligned with engineered plans and existing conditions

Each repair element was designed to handle approximately 48.4 kips of load, ensuring the structure could safely carry both dead and live loads moving forward.

Because the structural repairs were urgent, the City of La Junta needed a way to act quickly without sacrificing safety, quality, or compliance.

By utilizing its Sourcewell purchasing cooperative contract, the City of La Junta was able to:

Accelerate project delivery by avoiding a lengthy bid process
Engage a local, vetted contractor experienced in this type of work
Maintain cost confidence and transparency
Move directly into construction once repairs were identified

This streamlined approach allowed the City to focus on solving the problem—getting critical infrastructure repaired—rather than navigating procurement delays.

Reliant designed and built the project around real operational needs:

New structures and storage solutions reduce congestion and overlap
Improved layout and access streamline movement of equipment
Electrical, doors, and infrastructure upgrades support daily tasks and instruction
Coordinated construction minimized disruption to ongoing campus operations

The Results

Restored structural integrity at critical bridge components
Improved safety for daily traffic and long-term use
Delivered repairs quickly in response to urgent conditions
Successfully completed through an efficient, purchasing cooperative contracting model

This project demonstrates how Reliant Construction helps municipalities respond to infrastructure challenges with practical, high-quality solutions. By combining technical expertise with efficient delivery methods like the Sourcewell purchasing cooperative, we help communities complete critical repairs—faster and with confidence.

Start Your Project with Confidence

If your community is facing urgent infrastructure challenges, Reliant Construction is ready to help. Through trusted partnerships and cooperative contracting solutions like Sourcewell, we make it easier to move from problem to solution—quickly and efficiently.