Iconic bridge worth saving

It is a given that voters should expect lawmakers to be cautious in spending taxpayers' hard-earned money.

But in the case of Sutliff Bridge, it is appropriate to use federal and state disaster funds to repair the much-loved, historic structure.

Restoring the flood-damaged bridge, which draws tourists and is dear to local residents, would cost about $1.4 million.

If an engineering report confirms its feasibility, Johnson County supervisors should approve the project.

The Sutliff Bridge has spanned the Cedar River in northeastern Johnson County since 1898. It is one of the few remaining Parker truss bridges in Iowa.

It has been closed to vehicle traffic since 1981, but still is used by bicyclists and pedestrians. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

About one third of the bridge's span was washed away during the 2008 flood. Since then, local residents have urged the county to help them preserve and repair it.

Earlier this year, county supervisors agreed to release a local non-profit from its long-term lease of the bridge, thus making the structure eligible for public emergency funds. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has said it will pay 90 percent of the cost to repair the bridge. State funding would cover the rest.

An engineering firm is evaluating the bridge and the county's options. Still, supervisors say, some residents question the idea of using taxpayer money to rebuild the bridge.

But we feel it's a project worthy of public investment.

The bridge has been the backdrop for countless personal memories both momentous and mundane. People fish from the bridge, get married on it, race across it, gather there for Memorial Day services - the list goes on and on.

That history might not be reason enough alone to rebuild - we often have to say goodbye to historic structures and places that have been important to us. But the fact that the bridge continues to be well-used and is a point of pride should not be overlooked.

The Sutliff Bridge Authority signed a long-term lease with the county to prevent the bridge's demolition in 1984. For the past 25 years, local residents have maintained and insured the bridge.

In the past year, more have contributed to a fund in order to help rebuild it. Sutliff Bridge Authority President Randy Brannaman recently told a Gazette reporter the group has collected $30,000 in an account for the bridge, and even more people have pledged money to help.

That long-standing and ongoing commitment is more proof of just how much the bridge means to this area. It's worth saving.