A contractor has begun preliminary work to remove the damaged Blue Earth County Road 9 bridge next to the Rapidan Dam.
Blue Earth County Public Works Director Ryan Thilges said the contractor is building temporary access roads on the east and west sides of the bridge.
Crews also will be building a rip-rap causeway under the dam so they can divert the Blue Earth River’s flow to the east or west side of the channel as they work on removing the bridge and piers.
The plan is to have the bridge removed before the spring runoff when the river will run higher.
The project is being done by Hosier Worldwide of Deer River, which won the project with a bid of $1.16 million. The money for the project come from the Federal Highway Administration’s emergency funding program.
Thilges said the county is moving ahead with awarding contracts for environmental and design work on a new bridge, which also will be funded by the federal government.
Work on the replacement bridge won’t happen until 2026 or 2027. “There’s a lot of work to do,” prior to construction, Thilges said.
The bridge piers are failing because of erosion after heavy rains in June, which caused the Blue Earth River to bypass the dam, located just downstream from the bridge.
The development drew national and state attention as erosion claimed a home along the bank. It next threatened the homeowners’ iconic Dam Store, prompting the county to buy it and tear it down.
While county commissioners decided to replace the bridge, they voted to remove the dam. The county is seeking funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to remove the dam. It is likely to take years to secure the funding before removal will start.