County reports millions in Red Jacket Trail flood repairs and continues bridge-dam coordination with state, federal agencies

Blue Earth County Public Works staff told the County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 5 that heavy rainfall in recent weeks caused widespread flood damage across county roads and trails, forced closure of the Red Jacket Trail for safety reasons and produced preliminary cost estimates of between $2.3 million and $3.3 million to repair the trail and associated structures.

The county’s public works director, Ryan (Public Works Director), said the rainfall totals in some areas reached “up to 12 inches” over a week, with some localized one‑time totals near 8 inches, and that several trail crossings and timber trestle bridges are in “critical condition.” He said work to stabilize and reopen the trail would at minimum require repairing two high trestle bridges and a damaged double 72‑inch culvert, plus other culvert repairs and repaving.

The county provided preliminary cost ranges for major items during the update: about $187,000 to replace one 80‑foot timber trestle with a 72‑inch culvert; roughly $215,000 to replace a second timber trestle; about $472,000 to replace a double 72‑inch reinforced‑concrete pipe that has…