Bridge near Beaver Creek approved for repair

A bridge replacement in Martin Township will get underway this fall, two years after the wooden structure was destroyed by fire.
Four bids were received Aug. 19, and county commissioners chose the low bid of $1.292 million submitted by Prahm Construction Inc. from Slayton.
“He wants to get the dirt work done this fall,” said County Engineer Mark Sehr.
Construction of the bridge on County Road 52 will be finished in 2020.
The county will pay for the bridge grade work estimated at $338,000. Bridge construction is covered through a $953,000 state transportation grant.
The new bridge design will be two lanes with a 10-ton vehicle-carrying capacity. The bridge is also larger than the previous span at 29 feet wide and 106 feet long.
The previous span was a woodpile structure built in 1971 over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad.
The county originally bid the project this spring, but no bids were received at the May 20 bid opening.
Bids from the Aug. 20 opening ranged from $1.292 to $2.24 million.
Engineer’s estimate placed construction at $1.261 million.
Fifty vehicles had crossed the bridge annually until a fire closed the bridge to traffic in 2017.
The bridge is located two miles southwest of Beaver Creek.