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Thread: Need to bridge or culvert a creek on my property

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  1. #1
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    May 2009
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    Need to bridge or culvert a creek on my property

    Hello All,
    What a great site! I just ran across it & registered immediately. Help!
    My current dilemma is how to get my tractor across the creek into the woods for firewood, mowing, etc. (Our 'new' neighbor will not let us use the access enjoyed by generations to cross the creek)
    The banks are sloped about 50-60 degrees, with a 9' elevation down to the surface of the water. To get to frost depth for footings, the span needs to be 38'. If something could be just laid on the ground, it reduces the span to 30'+/-

  2. #2
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    Aug 2004
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    Tombstone, AZ
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    Re: Need to bridge or culvert a creek on my property

    You did not say how deep it is. But the less expensive way to do it is to cut the banks down and make some sort of ford where you can just drive across it. Culverts and brides can get expensive in a hurry.

    It so nice to have such understanding new neighbors. Hope you get to return the favor soon.

  3. #3
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    Re: Need to bridge or culvert a creek on my property

    Yeah, my wonderful neighbors....The creek is only 1-2 feet deep, maybe gets to 3'-4' in the Spring. The creekbed is very unstable; I wouldn't take my new Kubota in there....Anyway,the creek is at the rear of the backyard where it would be impossible to make any kind of cut. A 54" culvert, rip rap, sloped headwall, etc is required by the county; that's why I'm looking for something cheap n easy to bridge the creek. I thought maybe bridging it solid with used telephone poles and planking it with 3" roughsawn oak...

  4. #4
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    Re: Need to bridge or culvert a creek on my property

    Well the telephone poles and planking would be my second recommendation. Not sure how much poles cost or if you could get by with used ones from the power company.

    The danger of that setup is sliding of the sides. I think I would want some sort of side rails maybe railroad ties along each side to keep it (tractor) on the bridge.

  5. #5
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    Re: Need to bridge or culvert a creek on my property

    On this one the span is such it may require some serious design considerations.

    How will you you get the abutments in place on the other side of the creek?

    Is there a possibility to drive H piles for the abutments?

    The culvert may become cost effective when all factors are taken into consideration.

    Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

  6. #6
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    Southeastern Michigan
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    Re: Need to bridge or culvert a creek on my property

    Personally, I'd probably go the culvert route. I put in a 42" culvert across a drainage creek 2 yrs ago. It replaced a wooden foot bridge so I could take tractors/trucks across the 15-20 wide creek. A 20' long 42" culvert cost me $400 by buying it through the County. Sand backfill and gravel topping cost another $400 or so. So I'd figure you're looking at somewhere around $1000 for material to do yours with a culvert.

    For a bridge, I think the poles would work for occasional use traffic, but it may be a little "springy" for a 30' span. Of course, you can always stiffen it up by laying more poles. If you can't get poles, maybe just fell a few trees in your woods if you've plenty to spare A proper bridge with concrete abutment and steel I-beams would be cost prohibitive and probably convince you to go the culvert route.

    If you use poles or trees, you'll probably end up with SOME maintenance over the years, but a culvert will require very, very little, if any at all.


  7. #7
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    Re: Need to bridge or culvert a creek on my property

    Wow. Thanks you guys for all the input. The county here(Genesee) pretty much dictated the spec-54"minimum 22' culvert($2000) A good culvert would be perfect, but total material runs around $5k. That's why I'm looking for other ideas. I want to be able to pull trailers of green firewood over it with a small tractor. Timber trusses? "covered bridge"?

  8. #8
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    Re: Need to bridge or culvert a creek on my property

    Wow, 5 times the price I paid for a culvert that is just 12" bigger in diameter!! I checked with the place I got mine and the price of steel HAS driven prices out of sight in the last 2 years. Plus, the 54" is made of 10ga steel, mine was 14 ga. In fact, I paid extra (5%) because I wanted a "low profile" culvert pipe that looks kind of squashed but has the same flow opening as a round one. Called a "Pipe Arch". Are you in Genesse County in Michigan? Did you get the price from the County? I know I got a better deal because I ordered it through them (St. Clair County in Michigan).

    "Timber Trusses" & "Covered bridge" sound pricey, too, especially when you talk about "trailers of green firewood over it with a small tractor". How "small" a tractor? What does it weigh? I'd be afraid to build anything with a 30' span out of wood to carry any significant weight that I designed myself. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

  9. #9
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    Ashland, Ohio
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    Re: Need to bridge or culvert a creek on my property

    New member; first post. I stumbled across this site while searching for different methods of fencing across a creek.

    Last year I bought a plastic culvert, 48" dia x 20' long, approx $1000.

    Previously, I drove around onto the neighbor's property once or twice a year. This spring, however, I've opened an off-leash dog park and need to make much more regular trips to the far side as well as giving good access to the far side for dog park customers who may not be so good at jumping a stream.

    When I first moved here 20 yrs ago, I tried driving the tractor across the creek. That was a mistake. Fortunately my neighbor happened along with his much larger tractor and pulled me out. Nice neighbor! [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

    Also put in a garden this year, 25' x 50' in a space between the two dog areas (large dog/small dog). Hoping to sell some produce to dog park customers...

    Tod in Ohio

  10. #10
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    Jan 2011
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    Quote Originally Posted by riant View Post
    Wow. Thanks you guys for all the input. The county here(Genesee) pretty much dictated the spec-54"minimum 22' culvert($2000) A good culvert would be perfect, but total material runs around $5k. That's why I'm looking for other ideas. I want to be able to pull trailers of green firewood over it with a small tractor. Timber trusses? "covered bridge"?
    riant, can you go with two smaller culverts instead of one big one? Like two $400 42", should be more capacity than one big one. That's what I'd do if I could.

    Good luck.

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