To Bridge or Not to Bridge

“I didn’t hear anybody bragging about what a

beautiful bridge it was, because it’s not.”

Mike Hefner, Resident of Crouch, Idaho

Crouch, Idaho (population 176) has a one-lane bridge, and folks there want to keep it that way. A brand spanking new and bigger bridge is planned, with two lanes for traffic and two lanes for bikes. Townspeople say it’s ugly—it will destroy the character of their small town. A new bridge is needed, folks agree, but they want to keep it small. A petition against the bridge design has been making the rounds, and 555 people have signed it. But anyone who’s ever built knows that change doesn’t come cheap. The bridge is no exception. The cost to redesign tops $300,000. And that’s money the county doesn’t have, especially now. It’s in the middle of bankruptcy proceedings and fighting to keep its head above water.

In Iowa, people from Ankeny (population 36,161) to Woodward (population 1,473) have a new bridge, and they are tickled. Spanning the Des Moines River, it runs half a mile and connects two sections of the High Trestle nature trail. The bridge is an artsy thing: 13 stories high with 41 steel bands that form a contemporary arch. It’s the crown jewel in the 25-mile walking, jogging, and biking trail. And the trail costs about as much as the crown jewels: $15 million. People in the area say it's worth it. The trail is attracting newcomers to their small towns and new customers to their businesses.

The folks in Idaho and Iowa might have two different viewpoints about their bridges, but they share a common vision. Both want to preserve the charm of their small towns and both know that a bridge is one way to get there.

Read the Articles
·        Small Idaho town doesn’t want new bridge
·        Trailhead Project (The original Des Moines Register story about the Iowa bridge, “New Bridge Finally Connects Ankeny-to-Woodward Trail” is no longer available online, but here’s a link to the Madrid, Iowa Trailhead Project page. It has some great photos of the bridge and the High Trestle Trail, and some background information about the trail.)