November 18, 2020
Liz Writes Life
High tech bridge
Siskiyou County is on the cutting-edge of utilizing a new
super-strong technology developed from wood. This technology makes things like
cement lighter, yet stronger and was instigated by the U.S. Forest Service
through a U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Community project. And just to prove
the technology works, Siskiyou County volunteered to replace a well-worn bridge
over Moffett Creek on Scarface Road. The new bridge was put in place on Nov. 3,
2020 and is expected to last 100 years! That will certainly save time and money
replacing wooden planks every decade or two.
There are a number of participants working to develop this
lighter yet stronger technology infused with wood byproducts. Siskiyou County
began its support of the technology five years ago, when then, Dist. 4 Siskiyou
Co. Supervisor, Grace Bennett, and Dist. 5 Siskiyou Co. Supervisor, Ray Haupt,
attended a coordination meeting between a USFS Forest Research program and the
county. Both Siskiyou supervisors were looking for ways to utilize the excess
wood in the local Klamath National Forest.
Ray, who is retired from the USFS as a District Ranger and is
also a California Registered Professional Forester, was interested. But, he says
Grace was the driver that kept this on-the-ground project going over the years,
although she is now retired from her county position. Grace explained the
technology was “fascinating” and wanted to see it fleshed-out and utilized in
Siskiyou County.
In a nutshell: “Woodchips are ground super-fine and added to
products like cement to make them lighter and stronger,” she said. Grace hopes
more experiments will be conducted so the technology can be used in products
like sheet rock, plastics and even fruit coatings, where the natural protective
coating washes off easily. Yes, quite the variety of uses. Grace also said
Siskiyou County has been designated as a place, where it could be manufactured.
For the Moffett Creek Bridge project, Knife River Materials,
in Oregon, manufactured and poured the 29-foot long cement slabs at its
Harrisburg facility.
The county’s bridge crew removed the old wooden-plank and
steel-framed bridge and rebuilt the access points, engineered and poured new
abutments. Two semi-trucks hauled the four 29-foot-long high-tech cement slabs
and the giant crane operator from Anderson, CA. placed the slabs in about an
hour.
Ben Haupt, Timber Management Officer for KNF, was also in
attendance, when the cement slabs were laid. He is a major part of the
coordinated project and worked with the local Timber Products business to
transport locally-grown pine, white fir and Doug fir to the USFS research
facility for testing.
“We hope to take a low-value product of small diameter trees
and turn it into a high-value product,” Ben said. He explained the research
portion of the technology breaks down the wood fiber into nano-crystals and “we
wanted to prove it could work for Siskiyou County and KNF.”
Scott Waite, director for Siskiyou Co. Public Works, has also
been active in the project and worked closely with the Oregon State University
at Corvallis on testing the cement slabs. So, after five years, the
coordinated-effort needed to actually complete a project. The worn Moffett
Creek Bridge up Scarface needed replacing. So, Scott went for it.
Mountain Ready Mix in Yreka is also involved in the project
and will begin utilizing the new nanotechnology for other local projects,
including cement slabs.
Ray said, “It is exciting to bring this innovative technology
to the county. Siskiyou County is on the cutting-edge of this development for a
world-wide market.”
I was invited to the placing of the cement slabs on Nov. 3rd
and was impressed with the coordination of everyone involved. Grace was
especially pleased the long-research process was successful and that Siskiyou
County obtained a new very long-lasting bridge. Cheaper and easier-to-maintain
bridges will be welcomed by the county – that’s for sure.
Meetings canceled
Apparently, there is a spike in local covid-19 cases, especially
at the Siskiyou Courthouse. Siskiyou Co. D.A. Kirk Andrus and Sheriff Jeremiah
LaRue had been asked to speak at the Siskiyou Conservative Republicans meeting,
last Thursday, but needed to go into quarantine along with some employees from
their departments. So that meeting was canceled. The Siskiyou Patriots also
canceled its meeting. Boy, I sure hope the cases are not severe. I know of
several people that didn’t even have any symptoms, but tested positive.
Frustrating virus for sure.
Election
The General Election on Nov. 3, 2020 has still not been
certified by all the states, although re-counting in many counties and some states
is complete enough to claim winners and losers.
For the U.S. Presidential election, the current counts show
that Biden has won the popular vote with 78 million votes to Pres. Trump’s 72
million. But, Trump and the GOP have brought a number of lawsuits in counties
and swing states alleging voter fraud and manipulation of votes, so the
election has not been certified as completed. There are also many sworn affidavits
claiming voter fraud. Yep, still a waiting game.
Liz Bowen began writing ranch
and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou
County and lives near Callahan. Columns from the past can be found at:
lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.
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