The new Bremer Avenue bridge is still on schedule for a late November finish, according to Pete Hjelmstad, field services coordinator for the Iowa Department of Transportation.
Construction workers poured concrete for the new traffic deck for 12 hours on Oct. 16, which was a one-day delay from the planned pour date because of rain. The next stage is to pour the barriers between the driving area and the sidewalks, Hjelmstad said.
“They are going to be pouring it next week,†he said Oct. 30.
That means the barrier pour is scheduled for this week. It’s expected to take four days, Hjelmstad indicated.
“They’ll also be working on the bridge approaches, which is the concrete on either side of the bridge that will be between the bridge and the highway,†he said, adding that the approaches will be a separate pour.
Progress on the bridge has seemed much quicker since the concrete abutments and pillars were completed this summer and work has been more visible.
Twenty-seven 116-foot beams were delivered over three days—Aug. 27 and 29 and Sept. 4—laying the support for the bridge deck.
As published in the Waverly Newspapers Oct. 14, the bridge is scheduled to be done Nov. 28. The old bridge was closed to traffic to start its removal and replacement on Aug. 5, 2024. High water in the Cedar River delayed the project, which was originally scheduled to finish around Labor Day this year.
Even after the bridge opens, there may be some final work left to be done.
“There will be possibly work on the sidewalks that will continue while the bridge is open to traffic,†Hjelmstad said. But, the main news is “We’re still shooting for the end of November for the bridge.â€
