Substructure designs approved for bridges damaged by May 2024 floods

Four bridges damaged beyond repair after the May 2024 floods have had their professional services agreements for substructure designs approved.

The bridges affected include: Bridge M03, located over Cherry Creek on South 24th Avenue East; 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.

Jasper County Engineer Michael Frietsch said in order to receive reimbursement from Federal Emergency Management Agency, it needs to treat all four bridges as if they are federal aid projects to a certain extent. The bridges can still be built in-house and do local lettings, but other hoops need to be jumped through.

“Threatened endangered species sign offs, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) screens — all that stuff, basically, to check those things off,” he said. “You gotta do the concept statements. So we kind of have to get a set a plans together and go through all the checkoff process to make these projects eligible.”

Hutchinson Engineering, Inc. is the company that will be handling all four of the substructure designs. Frietsch said this firm is the only one that responded with quotes. The county engineer wants to get the ball rolling on all four of these projects so as not to miss out on federal reimbursement.

Jasper County will pay Hutchinson Engineering $10,000 for each substructure design, so $40,000 altogether. Frietsch said the price was very reasonable.

“I think they’re a good option,” he said. “I have no concerns about any of these agreements.”