Highway 965 bridge repairs move step closer

IOWA CITY - Johnson County is a step closer to beginning repairs on the Highway 965 bridge after supervisors Thursday approved a notice to bidders.

Rob Winstead, assistant engineer for the Johnson County Secondary Roads Department, told the Board of Supervisors his department estimates repairs to be completed around the end of November and cost just under $2 million, depending on contractors' availability. Contractors have until Aug. 16 to submit bids.

County maintenance employees discovered cracking in the southbound portion of bridge's deck in May. Supervisors called an emergency meeting to restrict the weight limit and reduce traffic to just one lane to prevent further deterioration of the bride.

Since then, VJ Engineering of Coralville rushed design and engineering plans for the repair to enable the county to finish work before winter weather hits. Cold weather can greatly increase the repair costs because warming concrete can be expensive.

Winstead said his department plans to present bids to the supervisors in an Aug. 17 work session and make a formal recommendation and get a vote of approval in the board's formal meeting Aug. 18.

If all goes according to plan, Winstead said work on the bridge, which will probably completely close the bridge, should begin Sept. 6. He said the contractor will have 50 working days, or week days with weather permitting, to finish the project. That would put completion toward the end of November.

'Everything about this schedule is probably as tight as you can fasten your belt,” Winstead said.

Supervisor Rod Sullivan asked if the tight schedule would increase the bids. Winstead said if the county can find a contractor with plenty of availability, he feels confident in the estimate of just under $2 million.

'We don't know where contractors stand. We're hoping that some have completed some projects ahead of schedule and are looking for some additional work to finish out the year. We'll find out,” Winstead said.