The bridge along F-62 East over Elk Creek, west of Sully, is scheduled to be replaced next year following the Nov. 25 Jasper County Board of Supervisor’s meeting approval of the $1.6 million bridge replacement contract.
County Engineer Michael Frietsch reported the bridge replacement was let through the Iowa Department of Transportation. He estimated the project would cost about $1.7 million. Four contractors submitted bids between $1.6 million and $1.8 million. The low bid of $1,648,842 came from United Contractors, Inc. and subsidiaries.
Supervisors approved the bid for the bridge – classified as Bridge S07 – in a 3-0 vote. The other contractors and bids included: Herberger Construction Co., Inc. for $1,670,676; Iowa Civil Contracting, Inc. for $1,773,939; and Godbersen-Smith Construction Co. and subsidiaries for $1,849,551.
Officials say construction of the project could last up to six months and will require a paved route detour. Officials suspect drivers will instead use gravel roads to get around. Frietsch anticipated the work could be completed around October 2026.
HBP (Highway Bridge Program) funds and SWAP funds that go matching with the HBP will fund the project. The project is anticipated to start April 27, 2026, and has 115 working days assigned to it.
The detour will be problematic. Secondary roads will detour traffic up T-22 to Interstate 80 toward Newton, then down Iowa Highway 14 to the “prison farm road” or South 60th Avenue West and then to the “Reasnor Road” or County Highway S-74 South. Supervisors doubted that detour would be followed. Discussion was had on preparing the gravel roads as those will likely be used by locals instead. Talsma also noted that he doubted the road would be opened back up before harvest. All agreed there really was not a good paved route available for this detour.
