State of Iowa opens bids on the Trout Run Trail Bridge over Highway 9

The State of Iowa has received four bids on the construction of a bridge over Highway 9 in Decorah to carry Trout Run Trail traffic.

At a bid opening in Ames Tuesday afternoon, the apparent low bidder was Cramer and Assoc. from Des Moines with a bid of $1,794,219.58.  Other bids were from Minnowa Construction, Inc. of Harmony, Minnesota for $1,938,335; Taylor Construction, Inc. for $1,999,315.79; and Brennan Construction Co. of Lansing for $2,197,970.33.

Construction of the bike trail bridge is slated for next spring.

City Engineer Lindsay Erdman says the original cost estimate for the bridge was around $1,550,000, but those figures did not attempt to take into account the aggressive time frame for construction, including some possible winter construction.  City officials hope to have the bridge built by June 30th, 2012, although as some work would be allowed after that time.

Erdman says his office will review the overall budget and how all the remaining financial parts fit together in order to present the information to the Decorah City Council, hopefully for its November 7th meeting.