The Contec culvert replacing the 100-year-old Frog Creek Bridge on Willis Avenue was placed in the creek bed late Friday morning, and the backfill process will now begin.
Demolition of the bridge began in early April, and construction is expected to last about one more month.
Waterflow in the creek was temporarily diverted around its bed in order for work crews to prepare ground for the culvert. Last week’s heavy rains slowed work and led to reopening the creek until the flow was reduced.
The pipe carrying lime from the Perry Waterworks to the lime lagoons on Perry’s southwest side was temporarily shutoff during placement of the culvert. A hole in the culvert will permit the lime line to pass through.
Structural defects in the aging bridge made strict weight limits necessary for many years.
The Willis Avenue bridge between W. Fourth and W. Fifth streets is being rebuilt by Elder Corp. of Des Moines. The $753,000 project has been planned for about three years.
The Iowa Department of Transportation is covering 50 percent of the cost of the bridge replacement, with the city of Perry matching the state funds.
