Progress made for Red Bridge restoration

Efforts to save the Red Bridge are continuing with support given by the Jasper County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. Colfax native Joe Otto, who has been leading the cause, requested two actions by the board, both of which were approved.

The bridge, located about 4.5 miles northeast of Monroe, currently spans the South Skunk River, but Otto is working to move it to Colfax at Quarry Springs Park.

“There are a certain amount of resources that have to be invested by the county before this can happen and this is the first step in that,” Otto said.

The first action taken was declaring the board’s intention not to intentionally demolish Red Bridge. Assistant to the Engineer Pam Olson said the county had no intention of taking any action with the bridge since it became unusable beyond cleaning it up if it were to fall into the river.

“My preference would be that we do something with this bridge before it is in the river,” supervisor Joe Brock.

The second action is having the county engineer determine the cost of separating the bridge from its piers with a crane and then setting it down on the north bank, in the right of way of Red Bridge Avenue. Olson said the county is already in contact with engineering firm Calhoun and Burns of Des Moines to conduct the assessment.

“Russ was going to talk to Calhoun and Burns, they have just been really busy as far as assessing it for us, but we were going to go ahead and do that and pay for the assessment as far as the ability to get them to move it,” Olson said.

Olson said the assessment should not cost a considerable amount, similar to the amounts the county pays for bridge assessments on an annual basis.

Along with the requests, Otto also presented more than 575 letters that were written in support of the restoration and preservation of the bridge. As the last historic truss bridge in Jasper County, many residents have fond memories of spending time there with their families and friends or may have a kindred connection to the other historic truss bridges previously in the county.

“The structure itself is in relatively good shape. The bridge itself is not falling apart, it is just the substructure,” Otto said. “If you look at it you can tell it isn’t going to last much longer.”

Otto’s end goal is to move the bridge to Quarry Spring Park in Colfax and use it as a foot bridge spanning the Skunk River. The idea is to make the bridge a focal point for that access.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com