Henry County and Mt. Pleasant seek federal bridge funds through CHBP Grant

MT. PLEASANT — Henry County and the City of Mt. Pleasant are joining many other Iowa communities in a statewide push to secure federal infrastructure dollars through the Competitive Highway Bridge Program (CHBP), aiming to replace aging structures and ease local financial burdens.

The county is seeking funding to replace Bridge 215 on Iowa Avenue, just north of Mt. Pleasant, with a 176-foot pretensioned, prestressed concrete beam bridge. The project’s estimated cost is $1.5 million. If awarded, the CHBP grant would reduce the county’s responsibility to just 20% of that total.

“This is kind of a big deal for the whole county in general,” Henry County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss said. “We have to amend our program … to reallocate how we’re funding the project.”

Mt. Pleasant is also moving forward with its own CHBP-backed project. During the July 9 city council meeting, city leaders approved a resolution supporting participation in the grant for work on the Walnut Street culvert. The agreement authorizes Mayor Pro Tem and the City Clerk to sign a 28E agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), a necessary step for securing the funds.

The county signed a similar agreement for Bridge 215 at July 3 Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting.

“So, what we're essentially doing here is a 28E agreement with all the other entities that are involved, with the DOT being the lead applicant for this grant,” Hotchkiss explained to the supervisors. “And that is a good thing, because they have the support staff to work with it.”

The DOT is serving as the primary applicant for the CHBP, bundling projects across Iowa into a single application, with 19 bridge or culvert structures included in the submission. HDR Engineering, a consultant with prior experience supporting the successful RAISE grant application, will write the proposal on behalf of the DOT. Each participating entity, including Henry County, is responsible for a proportional share of the grant writing costs — the county’s share is estimated to be around $20,000.

“Essentially, it doesn't matter if the bridge is a $5 million bridge or $2 million bridge … they still have to collect all the information and put that together,” Hotchkiss explained. “There'll be a lot more work for us. We'll be going out to get letters of support.”

Hotchkiss emphasized the importance of community involvement in strengthening the county’s application. Residents are encouraged to complete a brief online survey to demonstrate public support. The link to the survey is available on the Henry County website and takes less than five minutes to complete.

“The public's input is critical to showing the need and support for this project,” Hotchkiss said.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, the CHBP targets the replacement and rehabilitation of bridges in poor condition located on public roads that are not part of the National Highway System. Eligible applicants include states in partnership with local governments.

This marks the second time Henry County has participated in a CHBP grant submission.

“We were successful the first time around,” Hotchkiss noted. “Because of the condition of the state of Iowa’s bridges, and nationally, it does allow us to have a little better legwork to go after these funds.”

Federal guidelines define bridges broadly, including structures such as box culverts over 20 feet in width — an important technicality that allowed Mt. Pleasant’s Walnut Street project to qualify.

With the grant application due by Aug. 4, local officials are moving quickly.

“We are fully moving forward,” Hotchkiss said. “We're going to be 100% in support of this project moving forward.”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com