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Iowa officials mull options for damaged historic bridge

News

August 7th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DENISON, Iowa (AP) — Officials in a western Iowa county are trying to decide what to do with a damaged bridge that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Daily Nonpareil in Council Bluffs reports the Beaver Creek Bridge was damaged when a vehicle or towed equipment snagged the bridge’s west truss. It can’t be repaired and was permanently closed in April.

The Crawford County Board of Supervisors is gathering public input on how to proceed. About a dozen people attended a hearing on Tuesday. Some local residents say the bridge is too important to close. One idea is to replace the central part of the bridge at a cost of $100,000 to $125,000. That option would let the bridge handle light traffic but not necessarily a loaded truck.