The new Emerson Bridge for pedestrians and cyclists at the Linn Creek Trailhead location by 6th Street is on site, and should be fully in place sometime next week. However, that is not going to be the only new aspect. The area next to the skate park is getting an upgrade, which includes more than just a new bridge.

City of Marshalltown Public Works Director Heather Thomas said now that the bridge is on site and mostly assembled, the crew will start putting abutments in place to accept the new structure. The bridge should be in place sometime in the next week.

Afterward, she said a lot of work will take place on the northern side.

“The foundation and walls are set for a restroom,” Thomas said. “You will be able to see it being constructed block by block.”

There will also be a drinking fountain, a shelter for people to get some shade and a bicycle maintenance station so cyclists will be able to do fix-its. The bridge itself will feature an overlook, providing people an opportunity to gaze at Linn Creek and let others go by.

The overlook is a feature which was not on the previous bridge, which was not structurally sound. Thomas said the old bridge was on a one-year inspection schedule from the structural engineers, and restrictions were placed on it.

“They had to put a weight restriction on it to only 15 people crossing at a time, also no equipment,” she said. “So, we looked at either renovating or replacing, and consultants looked at the cost for both.”

Given the repairs the previous bridge would require, it was determined that a total replacement would make more sense financially. An April Marshalltown City Council memo indicated that this project would cost $2.6 million. However, the bridge and the Linn Creek Trailhead are two of the four projects in the Linn Creek District partially funded by a $2 million Destination Iowa grant.

As with most construction projects, there are hurdles to overcome. According to Thomas, they had to work around a lot of utilities, both underground and overhead. They had to be deenergized to protect the crew members.

So far, the major challenge was getting the necessary permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It was because of those that the project got off to a late start, Thomas said.

“Since we received them, Con-Struct and the subcontractors have done a good job at keeping things moving,” she said. “I anticipate movement will be more rapid over the next couple of months.”

Thomas said the city will probably have a soft opening and ribbon cutting when the bridge is opened, and a grand opening in 2026 for the entire Linn Creek District project.

“I hope people will enjoy the great amenities that are coming to Marshalltown,” she said. “We are doing our best to minimize the impact. We appreciate the people who are keeping the area safe and secure, the bikers who have to take their bike on the grass and people who have to park farther away. But there will definitely be improved amenities in the years to come.”

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Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.