Bridge in Winneshiek Counthy will be demolished, not moved

Photo courtesy of http://www.historicbridges.org

Winneshiek County officials have decided to cancel a previous plan to move the Little Church Road bridge to a spot on the Trout Run Trail.

County Engineer Lee Bjerke says the county received a quote of $75,000 to move the bridge off its current spot south of Festina.  The estimate did not include the costs of moving the bridge to Trout Run Trail.

Bjerke says at a time when Winneshiek County has four regular bridges that are closed because of structural problems and is struggling to come up with the funding to fix those bridges, it could not justify moving the Little Church Road Bridge.  Winneshiek County has received permission to demolish the bridge after taking photographs for historical purposes.

Winneshiek County will move the 10-mile Creek bridge in Happy Hollow to the Trout Run Trail.  The bridge will be used to cross a ravine.  The county has also received a state grant to help pay for the costs.  A bid on the construction of Segment 8 of the Trout Run Trail, which includes the bridge installation, was accepted by the Decorah City Council on Monday night and will soon be considered by the Winneshiek County Board.