City Council to Host Public Forum Wednesday (11.12) on Charles City Main Street Bridge 

Flooding in late June 2024 forced the shutdown of the Main Street Bridge in Charles City amid concerns over its structural integrity after huge trees and debris in the swollen Cedar River slammed into the structure, now over 115-years-old. 

Three inspections since then indicate that the bridge, in its current shape, may be near the end of its shelf life. Thus, the City hired Calhoun Burns & Associates to study rehabbing versus replacing the bridge, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.  

Last month, the City Council approved a report on rehabbing the existing bridge versus building a new bridge. Mayor Dean Andrews said that move does not commit the City in either direction, but acknowledges the time has come to do something.

To aid in the decision-making process, Andrews says the City Council will host an Open Forum during Wednesday (11.12) night’s planning session.

Andrews says they want to be ready to move forward, whether it’s a rehab or new bridge.

Wednesday night’s City Council planning session, featuring the Main Street Bridge Open Forum, begins at 6 pm in the Zastrow Room of the Charles City Public Library.