AASHTO Journal - Iowa DOT Hosts Celebration for State Route 3 Bridge

The Iowa Department of Transportation recently hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the completion and opening of the new Iowa state route 3 bridge over the Little Sioux River in Cherokee, IA; replacing a structure severely damaged by historic flooding in 2024.

[Above photo by Iowa DOT]

The agency said this project – which wrapped up a month ahead of schedule and came in under its $10 million budget – included the bridge replacement, an addition of an overflow structure, and roadway improvements. It is also an example of the Iowa DOT’s long-term focus on resiliency and efficiency, the agency explained.

“We’re so proud of this project, it’s something that we call resiliency,” said Scott Marler, Iowa DOT director, at the event. “This is going to be a lifeline in and out of this community, for many years to come, no matter what Mother Nature throws at us.”

The Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency coordinator said heavy rain in 2024 from the north washed downstream, closing five bridges in Cherokee and limiting the ways drivers can get in and out of town. “It truly was a 1,000-year flood, and that bridge that was there took such a beating it was no longer safe,” said Craig Schmidt, mayor of Cherokee, at the event.

Iowa DOT’s Marler added that the agency advanced the Iowa 3 bridge replacement project a year sooner than originally planned due to the damage suffered from the 2024 flooding.

Other state departments of transportation also confronted similar flooding events in that region of the country in 2024, which damaged roadways and other infrastructure.

For example, more than 850 Texas Department of Transportation employees responded to July 4th floods in Central Texas, clearing debris, inspecting bridges and helping impacted communities.