Jasper County bridges damaged by May floods added to engineer’s 5-year plan

Four bridges damaged beyond repair by the May floods in Jasper County have been added to the engineer’s five-year plan for 2025. Since the plan was already approved at a past meeting, the board of supervisors on June 18 voted 3-0 to amend the plan to include all four structures, which will need to be replaced.

Newton News previously reported about the damages to Bridge M03 in late May. The bridge, which goes over Cherry Creek along South 24th Avenue East, had entirely collapsed in on itself after floodwaters pulled the walls in. Jasper County Engineer Michael Frietsch said it has now been included on the five-year plan.

Also included in the five-year plan are Bridge H08, located northwest of Newton on North 35th Avenue West; Bridge L01, located east of Newton on South 12th Avenue East; and Bridge A08, located north of F-17 on North 99th Avenue East. Fortunately, Frietsch said, all four of the bridges are on gravel roads.

“We didn’t have any bridges on one of our paved routes that was damaged beyond repair, so that was a fortunate thing in this whole deal,” he said. “So we moved (Bridge) L01 up into ‘25 (after previously being scheduled in ‘27), we’ve added (Bridge) H08, Bridge M03 and Bridge A08 now.”

From what Friestch can estimate, Bridge M03 will likely be the most expensive structure to replace. He anticipates it will be a $520,000 project to complete. The bridge will likely have to expand to 120 feet and be made with steel back walls. Bridge H08 will be the next expensive project and expand to 80 feet.

Bridges L01 and A08 will be minor replacements and only be about 50 feet long.

“We’re talking $520,000 for M03; $300,000 for H08; and about $200,000 for L01 and $200,000 for A08,” Frietsch said.

In total, that is about $1.22 million, but there may be federal reimbursement.

“I’m going to have to clear all four of these with FEMA eventually,” Frietsch said. “Hopefully their engineers are going to be getting back with me because I think we’re going to have to get these designed or make sure the structures designed to what’s called an HL-99 loading. Which is kind of a federal requirement thing.”