Cost to fix Highway 965 bridge still unknown

IOWA CITY - Johnson County officials do not yet have a cost estimate to repair deck cracks in the Highway 965 bridge.

Rob Winstead, assistant engineer for the Johnson County Secondary Roads Department, told members of the Board of Supervisors on Wednesday a more clear picture on costs should come in the next two to three weeks when engineers wrap up design plans.

At that time, supervisors can vote on a resolution to update the five-year construction plan required by the Iowa Department of Transportation and allow the bidding process to begin.

Supervisors called an emergency meeting May 19 after inspectors discovered deficiencies in the southbound lane of the bridge. Supervisors voted to restrict the weight limit on the bridge to 20 tons and narrowed traffic to just one lane with the use of traffic signals.

Not long after, Winstead said additional cracking occurred, even working its way into the northbound lane. He told members of the board that engineers are inspecting the bridge weekly, and the new cracking does not warrant closing the entire bridge.

Winstead said it's likely the cracks will expand.

'They will widen but nothing to the point where there has been any consideration of having to close that lane down at this point,” he said.

County officials are working to expedite the repair process in hopes of wrapping up construction before winter. The Board of Supervisors approved a roughly $200,000 contract with VJ Engineering in Coralville to complete preliminary and final design work.

Greg Parker, the county's engineer, told supervisors 'temperatures will be paramount for us” during construction. Once cold weather hits, Parker said the bridge deck must be heated, which can be expensive.

The Gazette previously reported that supervisors expect construction to begin by mid-September and could result in the bridge being closed for two months.

The Highway 965 bridge carried more than 1,800 vehicles daily in 2014, according to the Iowa DOT. The 450-foot-long bridge is north of North Liberty.