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Iola to replace bridge

Proect scheduled for spring 2020

By Jane Myhra


The replacement of Iola’s Main Street Bridge is scheduled for the spring of 2020, according to Village President Joel Edler.

He met recently with a representative of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Edler told the Iola Village Board at its Dec. 12 meeting.

“An engineer looked at the bridge and determined it needs to be replaced,” he said.

According to Edler, the state will finance the replacement of 36 feet of the bridge, and not the current 40-foot width. He said if the board wants the bridge to remain 40-feet-wide, it will need to come from the village’s budget.

“Any enhancements would be our responsibility,” Edler said.

He estimated the total cost for the extra width would be about $50,000. This includes over $30,000 to add extra width and approaches to each side of the bridge, plus about $17,500 for extra lighting.

Lyle Mork commented that American Legion Sheveland-Taylor Post 14 recently constructed a new sidewalk on the east side of the bridge.

“Could the bridge be considered part of the River Walk project?” asked village trustee David Harper.

The village attorney agreed to check if the project could qualify for 50 percent funding through the River Walk project.

Edler told the board the bridge project will be on the agenda for the Jan. 9 meeting. Topics to be discussed will include possible detours, parking, lighting, enhancements and project schedule.

The board members discussed that currently, there is only parking on the east side of the bridge.

“Technically, you can’t park on bridges,” said Officer Paul Zierler, of the Iola Police Department.

In other business, the board set the village caucus for 5:45 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9, prior to the monthly board meeting.

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