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Almost two years after severe flooding in southern Minnesota destroyed the County Road 9 bridge in Rapidan, Blue Earth County officials said they’re closer to constructing a new bridge. 

Ryan Thilges, Blue Earth County engineer and public works director, said they will open sealed bids to finalize a construction contract as soon as the county receives project approvals and permits. If everything checks out, construction will likely start in early winter 2026 and last two years.

The cost to build the new bridge including preliminary planning and engineering is about $28.5 million, according to Thilges. The Federal Highway Administration is providing about $25 million. 

Torrential flood waters breached the Rapidan Dam on June 24, 2024, damaging the neighboring County Road 9 bridge. Later that August, Blue Earth County voted to remove the historic dam. 

The bridge was unsalvageable. Demolition work started in late 2024 and wrapped in early summer 2025.

“It’s a massive project, and I’m really proud of our staff and our consulting firm that we worked with on fast-tracking it,” Thilges said. “I know a lot of people will say two years isn’t very fast to get a bridge designed and another two years to build it, but on something of this magnitude, it was definitely a heavy lift.”

The bridge design changed significantly from initial estimates, including erosion-resistant supports. Thilges said it allowed the county to eliminate a significant amount of rip rap river armoring – large stones or boulders to protect stream banks from erosion – to save costs. 

While the cost of the new bridge increased, Thilges said it will be more resilient and able to withstand erosion.

The project will take two years because of the size and complexity of the bridge, the work in and around the river and the lead time required for steel beams. Currently, the project design is submitted and awaiting approval by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Thilges said after evaluating numerous different options, the current location of the former bridge was the best site for the replacement. The structure will actually be longer and slightly narrower than what was there before, he said. 

“It had to be made longer to meet the site now with the washout and ensure that in the near term and long term, it would remain stable and safe from future damage,” he said. 

Currently, the dam removal project faces delays and is contingent on acquiring right-of-way from private landowners, which might inflate design and cost estimates. The dam removal project will incorporate future river access for recreational use and reestablish access to the former campground park area. 

Thilges said obtaining relief funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is complex, including quantifying damages and creating a hypothetical repair plan. Building bridges is much easier in comparison, he said.

“We build a lot of bridges, and there’s a known process for building bridges,” he said. “Dam removals in the state, especially of this magnitude, is really kind of – especially after a flood event like this – is really somewhat unchartered territory.”

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Almost two years after severe flooding in southern Minnesota destroyed the County Road 9 bridge in Rapidan, Blue Earth County officials said they’re closer to constructing a new bridge, eyeing an early winter start date for building. 

Jackson Forderer for MPR News

A large jackhammer chips away at concrete

Officials eye winter start date for southern Minnesota bridge destroyed by flood

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