Bring back Sutliff Bridge

By Jack Moel

On Monday, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors will host a public form regarding the status of the flood-damaged Sutliff Bridge.

All three options that the county is considering will be displayed: replace in kind, cable stay bridge or tear it down. County officials will be on hand as well as representatives from VJ Engineering and the State Historic Preservation Office.

We need to have positive advocates at this meeting. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has already earmarked $1.4 million for the rebuild of the bridge. The project worksheet is being rewritten by FEMA to cover the full estimated cost of the rebuild - which is nearly $1.7 million, as described by VJ Engineering.

There is approximately $300,000 of additional costs not covered to bring the bridge up to code. This is causing concern among county taxpayers and boils down to about $6 to $8 one time per county taxpayer.

There are grants available from the Historic Preservation office to help with this expense. If the Sutliff Bridge Authority raised $100,000, a grant could match that. The SBA is already halfway there.

This rebuild could last two working seasons - think of how this will improve the economy for ironworkers and all construction companies involved, and local hotels and restaurants.

Everyone who has their hands in the project says rebuld. This includes VJ Engineering, FEMA, Historic Preservation.

We must show the county how much the community wants this bridge back.

This does not affect just the friends of Sutliff. The bridge is known statewide and even nationally! The bridge is an icon and something that people of all ages have enjoyed for many years. To the SBA, this is our Paramount Theatre.

I want to see the color guards from the local Legion posts be able to walk out on that bridge again for Memorial Day Services. What a beautiful sight that is!

Support this historic treasure we have in our backyard. Once that history is gone, it'll be gone forever. Please attend this forum and inform the supervisors that we need to keep this treasure!

There will be a caravan leaving from Sutliff no later than 5 p.m. Monday. Vans will be available to ride in, as well as personal cars.

Jack Moel, a lifelong rural Johnson County resident and a union concrete finisher for 30 years, is a member of the Sutliff Bridge Authority board of directors.

Sutliff Bridge forum

n What: Public forum on status of Sutliff Bridge

n When: 6 p.m. Monday

n Where: Health and Human Services Building, 855 S Dubuque St, Iowa City, rooms 203B and C.