MITCHELL — A pair of rural bridges undergoing major improvements in rural Davison County received some funding assistance from the James River Water Development District board on Thursday.
The board approved dispersing roughly $26,000 to the bridge projects, which will be used to help fund installing riprap along the base of the structures.
One of the bridges is situated along 404th Avenue, roughly 6 miles west of Mitchell. The second bridge stretches along 394th Avenue, located about 7 miles north of Mount Vernon. Both bridges extend over Firesteel Creek and serve as key structures for agricultural producers in the areas.
Chris Brozik, an engineer overseeing the projects, explained the riprap will combat future erosion and sediment transport that he said could occur due to the creek channel flowing underneath the bridges.
“We’re replacing the bridge, and we are asking to get some assistance on the drainage fabric riprap installation to protect the bridge,” Brozik said of the 404th Avenue bridge.
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The 404th Avenue bridge project has yet to begin. Brozik said the structure will undergo a total replacement this summer and wrap up by November.
Brozik said the improvement work at the 394th Avenue bridge was completed last year. The riprap installation will bring finishing touches to the structure. Each project cost roughly $1.4 million.
The bridge was part of the South Dakota Department of Transportation’s Bridge Improvement Grant program, which covered 63% of the project costs. Davison County covered about 33% of the remaining costs.
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