Dubuque Road Bridge Work Underway In Evansdale

A bridge construction project on heavily-traveled Dubuque Road in Evansdale will be impacting motorists the next two months.

Infrastructure work is being done on each of the double bridges that span Elk Run Creek on the northeast side of the city. The construction project has forced the partial closure of the four-lane divided thoroughfare, starting today (Monday, June 15, 2015).

The $450,000 project is being done in two phases, starting with the eastbound bridge. While repair work is being done, all eastbound traffic on Dubuque Road – formerly U.S. Highway 20 – is being detoured through the cities of Evansdale and Elk Run Heights, using North Evans, Lafayette and Gilbertville roads. Westbound traffic is currently not impacted by the bridge work.

The eastbound lanes will be closed approximately one month, weather permitting. When the eastbound bridge reopens around mid-July, similar work will be done on the other bridge. At that time, westbound traffic will be detoured for about 30 days using the same roads.

Signs are posted designating the detour, and traffic control lights at the intersection of Dubuque and Evans Roads will be flashing red until the entire construction project is complete.

According to Evansdale Mayor Doug Faas, the city has hired a contract crew to make the repairs on both bridges. Workers will be repairing the support system, installing new handrails, and replacing some decking on each structure.

Faas said the supports are starting to show their age and city officials decided to make the repairs now so both structures can remain fully functional in the future.

“We're trying to be proactive,” Faas said. “We want to make them full-use bridges instead of placing weight limits on them.”

Nine-percent of the project's cost is being covered by the city of Elk Run Heights, which owns a portion of the eastbound bridge.