Million-dollar bridge to be built over Hurley Creek

A new bridge over Hurley Creek on North Sycamore Street will closely match the Adams Street Bridge at McKinley Lake.

The Creston City Council voted unanimously to approve the project at the regular meeting Tuesday after a discussion about whether lights were necessary due to the proximity of street lights to the bridge. Council member Ron Higgins made a case to add the lights, but ultimately it was council member Rich Madison’s motion to build the bridge with a similar structure, fencing and shape to the Adams Street project without the lights that passed.

“Structurally speaking is there any difference between the three (options) as far as how long they would last?” council member Matt Levine asked.

Project manager Lowell Miller of Calhoun-Burns said the only difference would be the maintenance of the aesthetic features such as the coating on the concrete.

The Iowa Department of Transportation will fund 80% of the approximately $1 million cost to construct the bridge, leaving the city to pay around $200,000. Matching the bridge to the Adams Street one will add approximately $10,000 to the city’s cost. Adding lights would have cost another $7,000.