Officials in southwest Kansas are working to finish paperwork and funding in the coming weeks to help a short-line railroad replace six bridges lost to spring wildfires.
The bridges on the Cimarron Valley Railroad's 250-mile system were wiped out by wildfires caused by extreme drought. That included a 917-foot span that was built in 1913 southwest of Dodge City, forcing rail traffic to be rerouted.
Cimarron Valley manager Henry Hale said Thursday that work on replacing the bridges should begin in September, with work completed by early next year.
The repairs will be financed through a $2 million loan from the Kansas Department of Transportation and $1 million from a southwest Kansas port authority. The railroad is contributing $3 million of its money.
