Bridges on the mend: County accepts bids to replace three structures

The county board took a step toward replacing three of the more than 90 deficient bridges in the county.

The board accepted bids to replace bridges in Waltham, Sargeant and Bennington townships on county roads 1, 7 and 8.

Though the projects are expected to begin later this year, they’re not expected to disturb farmers during harvest.

When asked if the construction would affect the harvest, Public Works Director Mike Hanson said work won’t begin “until harvest is completed or nearly completed, so we don’t block anybody off.”

In late September, U.S. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., is calling for a plan he said would kill two birds with one stone: put Minnesotans back to work and improve the state’s infrastructure.

According the report, Mower County has the second highest percentage of deficient bridges in the state at 23.5 percent. The study stated Mower County has 77 deficient structures out of 327. But in April, Public Works Director Mike Hanson said there were about 99 deficient bridges out of a total of 369. That would put Mower County at the highest percentage in the state, at 26.8 percent.

However, Hanson recently said the number of deficient bridges has decreased since then, and the county is constantly working to bring the number down.

Along with the three bridge projects Tuesday, the county also approved the first phase of a $3.6 million renovation and restoration project on the Roosevelt Bridge, which spans the Cedar River on Fourth Street SE between Fourth Avenue and Sixth Avenue.

The county has a plan to replace about six bridges each year. Hanson said more projects will be discussed in the future.

SportsPlus

Mower County

Austin Noon Lions kick up a party with 80th anniversary Hootenanny

Mower County

Austin Page Turners make selection for 23rd annual city wide reading event

Business

Kilpatrick selected as CRC’s newest regional business manager

Education

10 tutors needed in Austin to help students with reading, math

Business

KSMQ selected for Public Media Digital Transformation Program

News

A decade of racial justice activism transformed politics, but landmark reforms remain elusive

Mower County

Riverland Theatre Ignites its Season with ‘Carrie: The Musical’

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

Standoff in SE Austin Monday afternoon ends peacefully after 2 1/2 hours

News

A Minnesota woman is accused of turning in a ballot for her dead mother. A routine check caught it

Business

Partnerships highlighted during ceremony for 1st & 3rd Apartments

News

Trump’s Madison Square Garden event features crude and racist insults

Mower County

Photos: Tricks and treats come to downtown Austin

Mower County

Women in Business: For the love of coffee and comics

Mower County

Women in Business: Being a part of a larger family

Mower County

New county health plan part of a spreading move to opening doors

Mower County

Karl’s Legacy: Potach’s eclipse $1M donated to Institute, given key to the city

Mower County

Additional times for absentee voting coming up

Business

The Minnesota Star Tribune launches statewide news partnership

Mower County

In Your Community: Eagles donates to pickleball group

Mower County

In Your Community: Adams church holding annual meal

Mower County

In Your Community: Duplicate Bridge

Mower County

In Your Community: Mower County Senior Center

News

Ron Ely, TV’s ‘Tarzan’ in the 1960s, dies at 86

Austin Bruins

Austin Bruins announce second annual Black and Gold Gala