Work starting earlier than expected on bridge replacement project near Hartington
HARTINGTON — Work is starting earlier than expected on a bridge replacement project near Hartington.
Carla Schmidt, Cedar County’s highway superintendent, updated the board of commissioners Nov. 28 on the project.
The projected time period for work on this project had been set for January- May 2024, but the start of the work has been moved up a month.
Schmidt noted the project was scheduled to start Dec. 4 as Herbst Construction Inc. of rural Le Mars, Iowa, prepares to tear out the bridge that crosses over the Bow Creek on 883rd Road about 1.25 miles 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 concrete- slab bridge that will have no weight limit.
The commissioners approved a bid on June 13 of just over $1.1 million submitted by Herbst Construction for this project.
Cedar County has bundled its project together with one in Knox County through the Nebraska Department of Transportation's County Bridge Match Program because the new crossings will be similar structures.
Cedar County is set to be reimbursed $250,000 of the cost of its bridge replacement project through the state DOT program.
Schmidt also updated the commissioners on the asphalt overlay projects that Knife River of Sioux City, Iowa, has been working on throughout the year.
The company was awarded the contract of more than $2.3 million in February for four asphalt overlay projects: - 889th Road from Highway 57 going east to Bow Valley.
- 898th Road from Highway 81 going east for 1.7 miles near South Yankton, which also is known as the “Bottom Road.”
- Kathol Road from Highway 84 going south for approximately 800 feet next to St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery just southwest of the Hartington city limits.
- 559th Avenue from Highway 20 going north for three-fourths of a mile past the Randolph cemeteries.
The Randolph area project was done in June, while the asphalt work has been completed on the other three projects, with the Bow Valley area project being fully finished as well.
Schmidt noted 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 and are part of the Nebraska DOT’s County Bridge Match Program.
Schmidt noted the 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 $290,891.39 box culvert project that is situated southwest of Obert.
The company now has moved on to a $397,605.74 box culvert project that is located west of Coleridge.