YERINGTON - The next bridge built in Dayton will span the Carson River at Cardelli Road.
The Lyon County commissioners voted unanimously at their meeting Thursday to honor a vote in July 2004, which accepted a recommendation for a bridge at Cardelli Road.
Chairman Phyllis Hunewill read a letter signed by 62 residents of the Riverpark and Brookhaven developments opposing the bridge at Cardelli, but the more than 30 residents who attended the meeting held sway.
Commissioner LeRoy Goodman admitted that the bridge would not be built for many years, but that it was essential to have a bridge.
"This is about public safety," he said. "We can talk costs all day, but this is needed strictly for public safety."
County engineer Dick Faber estimated it would cost $2 million for a bridge at Chaves Road and $15 million for a bridge at Cardelli Road.
Dayton resident Winston "Stony" Tennant disputed the numbers, saying the cost of building a raised road at Chaves above the flood plain mitigated any cost savings there.
Resident Ron Adams said he felt there was an ulterior motive in proposing a Chaves Road location; to build a road that loops around to Dayton Valley Road, which residents oppose.
Of the original three proposed bridge locations, Chaves is the farthest east and Pine Cone Road closest to the existing bridge at Dayton Valley Road. Cardelli is more central to Dayton's growth areas.
Commissioner Bob Milz, who said he voted against the original Riverpark development, referred to an easement Riverpark developers Reynen and Bardis gave the county specifically for a bridge.
"At that time we did approve it and it was included in the current master plan," he said. "That's where the bridge was to go."
Goodman said the vote actually was to accept the location in concept. "There was nothing set in stone," he said. "This was a study."
Commissioner Tibbals' motion, which passed unanimously, specified "the first bridge to be built will be at Cardelli Road," leaving open the possibility of another bridge elsewhere in the future.