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Faribault council approves replacement of decayed pedestrian bridge despite cost concerns
Summary
Council approved plans to replace a structurally decayed railroad‑timber pedestrian bridge on the Straight River trail with a prefabricated steel span; staff cited structural decay, fires and a consulting estimate and noted a $100,000 DNR grant, while some council members expressed taxpayer‑cost concerns.
The Faribault City Council on Feb. 10 approved plans to replace a deteriorated railroad‑timber pedestrian bridge on the Straight River trail, moving the project to the bid stage despite council concern over cost and tax impacts.
Director of engineering Mark Duchain told the council the existing bridge showed "significant decay" in structural members and had suffered fires; a consulting engineer placed the construction portion of the contract at "just over $64,000." Duchain said the project would remove the existing railroad‑timber bridge and install a single‑span prefabricated steel bridge with concrete decking, and that the park improvement fund would pay most costs while the city had secured a $100,000 local grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Duchain said bids would be opened March 4 with a hoped‑for award March 10, subject to DNR concurrence because of the grant; work is being timed to avoid bat nesting season.
During discussion, council members questioned whether the project and its estimated costs were a necessary request of taxpayers. One member said the bridge is a "significant and key cog" in the city trail system and that alternatives (placing trail users on a narrow sidewalk) are inadequate; others said residents are fatigued by taxes and asked whether the expenditure is essential.
A motion to approve Resolution 2026‑045 (authorizing plans/specifications and bid scheduling for the bridge replacement) was moved and seconded and recorded as passing by voice vote, with at least one nay noted. Council directed staff to publish bid documents and to coordinate with the DNR before final award. Duchain emphasized that much of the work will depend on procurement outcomes and DNR concurrence and that significant construction may not begin until fall or spring of the following year to accommodate environmental timing.
The council's approval advances a bridge replacement intended to preserve continuity of the city trail network; staff estimated most construction costs will be covered by existing park improvement funds augmented by the DNR grant.
