POLK COUNTY, MINNESOTA (KFGO) – Polk County is taking the lead in applying for a federal grant to replace three aging Red River bridges located in or near the Minnesota communities of Nielsville, Georgetown, and Hendrum.
Polk County Engineer Rich Sanders says besides Polk County, Cass, Clay, Norman, and Traill counties are all part of the bridge application.
The decaying bridge over the Red River between Nielsville and Cummings, N.D. is the worst of the three. It was built in 1939 and closed in 2015 when a large hole was found in the bridge deck. That forced detours which require longer-distance travel for many that used the bridge. Sanders says, depending on the season, the bridge handled 200 to 400 crossings daily.
The grant application is due in several weeks. Sanders expects there’s going to be significant competition for the grants but he thinks there is a better chance of getting the grant by bundling multiple projects.
The bridge improvement program is part of the passage of the bi-partisan $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.