Residents press county on failing bridge, bad roads
Chunks of concrete falling from a bridge in Henrietta and buses breaking dashboards on rough gravel roads pushed residents to demand immediate fixes, warning Ray County leaders that safety is at stake.
Resident Jared Schnittker described the Henrietta bridge as deteriorating to the point of being a potential disaster if large pieces continue dropping near the busy railroad tracks below.
“I had a piece of the concrete, but they wouldn’t let me bring it up to show you guys. The piece of the concrete was probably this big. If that falls and goes through a train window ...,” said Schnittker. “Does Ray County have enough money to cover a runaway train and the death of possibly an engineer if that goes through a window?”
Another resident, Aaron Hicks, added the risk extends beyond trains, with pedestrians and city workers frequently under the structure.
The concern was acknowledged, noting commissioners are waiting on engineering results to determine the next steps.
“I think we were…