(KIWA Staff Photo)
Alton, Iowa (Sioux County Radio) — A federal grant will cover more than three-quarters of the estimated cost to replace a 72-year-old bridge east of Alton.
Sioux County is one of seven Iowa counties benefiting from a $24 million award through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program.
Sioux County Engineer Joel Sikkema says about $2.1 million of that award will go toward replacing the bridge jointly maintained by Sioux County and the City of Alton.
The announcement resolves a grant application Sikkema discussed earlier this year. In April, while discussing federal funding awarded for a separate bridge replacement near McNally, Sikkema said the county was awaiting word on an additional application for the aging bridge east of Alton.
Aging Structure Reaching End of Its Life
Sikkema says the bridge, built more than half a century ago, is showing deterioration in several areas.
The concrete abutments supporting the ends of the bridge are also cracking and breaking away. The county has performed maintenance over the years — including abutment repairs, approach-pavement work, and a concrete overlay on the bridge deck.
Grant to Cover More Than Three-Quarters of Cost
Construction is currently estimated at $2.7 million, with the federal contribution covering more than three-quarters of the total. Sioux County and the City of Alton will split the remaining cost once a contract is signed and the work is completed.
The existing bridge is about 275 feet long. The replacement is expected to be 300 feet.
Sikkema says projects of that size can be difficult for rural counties and smaller communities to fund without outside assistance.
Construction Planned for 2029
Although the grant has been announced, construction is not expected to begin until 2029. Sikkema says the current bridge remains safe for traffic, and the timeline allows for design work and project development.
This is the second Sioux County bridge project to receive federal support this year. A previously announced project near McNally received about $440,000 toward an estimated $660,000 replacement of a 1967 bridge. That project is targeting a September 2027 letting, with construction potentially beginning later that year.
Part of More Than $71 Million for Iowa Projects
The Sioux County award is part of more than $71 million announced for bridge and roadway improvements in nine Iowa counties.
The $24 million multi-county portion will replace seven bridges in Boone, Butler, Clinton, Humboldt, Jackson, Lucas, and Sioux counties. Additional funding was awarded for major roadway projects in Black Hawk and Johnson counties.
The BUILD program was reauthorized through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley said the investments will help communities maintain transportation connections and move agricultural and manufacturing products.
