Bridge work begins earlier than anticipated

HARTINGTON – Work is starting earlier on a bridge replacement project near Hartington.

The projected time period for work on this project had been set for January-May 2024, but the start date moved up a month, said Carla Schmidt, Cedar County’s highway superintendent.

The project was scheduled to start Dec. 4 as Herbst Construction Inc. of Le Mars, Iowa, prepares to tear out the bridge that crosses over the Bow Creek on 883rd Road about one mile east of Hartington.

Schmidt previously described the current crossing – a 100-foot-long pony truss bridge built in 1973 out of concrete and steel – as “structurally deficient.” The new crossing will be a 130-foot-long, 28-foot-wide concreteslab bridge that will have no weight limit.

The commissioners approved a Herbst bid on June 13 of more than $1.1 million.

Cedar County bundled its project together with one in Knox County through the Nebraska Department of Transportation’s County Bridge Match Program.

Cedar County will be reimbursed $250,000 of the cost of the bridge replacement through the program.

Four asphalt overlay projects by Knife River of Sioux City, Iowa, are also in progress. The company was awarded a $2.3 million contract in February.

The only work left on Hartington and South Yankton area projects are the painting of lines on the stretches of road that were worked on, as well as the seeding of grass on the shoulders.

In addition to the asphalt overlay projects, Schmidt updated the commissioners on two box culvert projects that were awarded to A&R Construction of Plainview in February.

The box culverts are replacing two structurally deficient bridges.

Schmidt said the Bridge Match program will reimburse the county up to $200,000 for the two box culvert projects, which have been bundled together.

A&R Construction has finished working on a $290,000 box culvert project that is situated southwest of Obert and has now has moved on to a box culvert project located west of Coleridge.