Sutliff Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sutliff Bridge
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Sutliff Bridge after 2008 flooding
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | Sutliff Road over Cedar River |
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| Nearest city | Sutliff, Iowa |
| Built | 1897 |
| Architect | G. W. Wynn; Jones & Laughlin Company |
| MPS | Highway Bridges of Iowa MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 98000520 |
| Added to NRHP | May 15, 1998 |
The Sutliff Bridge is a special bridge that crosses the Cedar River in Sutliff, Iowa. This community is in Johnson County, not far from Lisbon. It's a type of bridge called a Parker truss bridge.
This historic bridge was built a long time ago, between 1897 and 1898. It cost about $12,000 to build back then. J. R. Sheely was the engineer who designed the first Sutliff Bridge.
Contents
History of the Sutliff Bridge
The Sutliff Bridge has an interesting story. In 1983, a new, more modern bridge was built over the Cedar River. Because of this, the old Sutliff Bridge was planned to be taken down.
How the Bridge Was Saved
Luckily, the community decided to save the Sutliff Bridge. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 15, 1998. This means it's an important historical site that should be protected.
The 2008 Flood and Damage
The bridge was very popular with local people and visitors. There was even a fun 5k race called the "worst road race in America" that used the bridge. However, in June 2008, a huge flood hit the area. The river usually flows far below the bridge, but the floodwaters went right over the top of it.
On June 13, 2008, one part of the bridge was washed away by the strong floodwaters. The land around it was covered in a lot of water.
Rebuilding the Sutliff Bridge
After the flood, it was estimated that fixing the bridge would cost about $1.7 million. Most of this money came from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA helps communities recover after disasters. The rest of the money came from donations and local governments.
Both FEMA and the Johnson County Board of Supervisors agreed to help repair the bridge. VJ Engineering from Coralville, Iowa, oversaw the rebuilding work. Iowa Bridge and Culvert from Washington, Iowa, did the actual construction.
In October 2012, a special ceremony was held. The Sutliff Bridge was officially opened again for people to use. It had been closed for four years after the flood.
Images for kids
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Sutliff Bridge before its collapse
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Sutliff Bridge truss badly damaged in 2008 flood, downstream from bridge
