Jasper County Highway F-17 at Rock Creek, west of Newburg and East 124th Street North, will be closed starting at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning. The Jasper County Secondary Roads Department says the closure will likely last into December, while Peterson Contractors Incorporated of Reinbeck replaces the bridge over Rock Creek. The designated detour goes south of Highway F-17, using State Highway 224 and County Highways F-27 East and T-38 North. Jasper County Engineer Mike Frietsch says the current 128 foot bridge was built in 1963, and still has some life left to it. But it has to be replaced due to a state permit.

“Estimated life of this bridge in 2023 was 6 more years. However this bridge is inadequate to carry the loads permitted by the State’s All Systems Permit. So this is another one of the bridges we have to replace because of that All Systems Permit.”

The twelve-month, $500 All Systems Permit allows for maximum weight loads up to 12% above current maximum legal weight based on number of axles and distance, and grants unlimited trips on all state roads, excluding the interstate system, and certain city/county roads. Cities and Counties must designate which roads are authorized for travel under the permit.