Plans for covered bridge collapse in northwestern Iowa

KINGSLEY, Iowa (AP) — Plans to turn a century-old bridge into a covered bridge near Kingsley in northwest Iowa have been axed because the bridge buckled.

The Le Mars Daily Sentinel says it happened last week as Plymouth County road workers were repairing the bridge in preparation for the project. Steel truss arms framing the bridge bent, causing the collapse.

County engineer Tom Rohe told county supervisors that it would cost at least $700,000 to replace the 200-foot-long bridge. Supervisors agreed with Rohe that the county can’t afford to fix it, and voted to remove the bridge and close a section of the gravel road it’s on.

Gene Collins, of Kingsley, was spearheading the project and planned to raise $20,000 to have the bridge covered.