2008 Flood - CVNT Bridge Report

From LctaWiki

by Dean Barnum, LCTA

My wife (Jan) and I had heard how the Cedar Valley Trail was badly damaged north of Brandon and the bridge across the Cedar River was down, so we decided to see the damage for ourselves.

On Monday, 14 July 2008 we set out to observe the trail damage by biking wherever we could. We decided to start at McFarlane Park. This is where the pavement ends from the north and is only about a half mile from the Cedar River Bridge. We got about a hundred feet and found the trail totally gone as far as we could see. Water had passed generally across the trail and roots were visible all over the place. We tried to scramble but soon stopped as it was too difficult, so decided to bike the two and a half miles to LaPorte City for lunch.

On the way to LaPorte City, we came upon a backpacker with about a forty pound backpack. Curiosity got the better of us so we stopped and visited with him along the way. He had started in west Chicago and was following the American Discovery Trail all the way to Denver. I asked him how he had got over the Cedar River as the bridge was out. He said it was difficult but he was able to get across. We did not understand at this time. He also stated that we could bike within a quarter mile of the bridge from the south. He has an interesting job that he can maintain along the way. He buys and sells mailing lists, so can stop along the way in libraries and transact business. He plans to do the Appalachian Trail next year and do the same thing.

After lunch we headed for Brandon. It is about seven miles from Brandon to the Cedar River Bridge. There were two minor washouts that were easy to walk around, an area that felt like a washboard and several places with sand across the trail. This was not the real problem however. Blackhawk County cuts the grass south of McFarlane Park and does nothing else. There are a lot of branches from the side and overhead, litter on the trail, and several downed trees. The trail itself looks just like a farm road with two ruts surrounded by grass.

About two miles north of Brandon is a “Road Closed” sign across the trail. We could see where a number of people had gone around the sign. Being adventurous, we naturally went around the sign also. About five miles on was a rather impassable fence with a “Stop” sign on it. Ahead of us we could see the bridge. We parked our bikes and crawled through the fence. Almost immediately the trail more or less disappeared just like on the north end but the goal was right ahead of us so we “suffered” and forged ahead.

We found the concrete abutments to the bridge out of place and the trail washed out between them. We scrambled up on the bridge. What we saw was overwhelming. All the way across the bridge it looked like an accordion with every other section of the bridge tipped up and the next one down. The surprising thing was that the accordion affect was straight across and none of it was in the river. We scrambled down the side of the roadbed on the north side of the trail, where there are some houses, and headed for the river. We had expected to see a pillar bridge but instead found a beautiful multi-section arch bridge structure THAT WAS STILL IN PERFECT SHAPE.

I now had an explanation for the accordion affect of the bridge surface. Water had got between the bridge surface, at the area above the arch supports, and washed out the sand filler. Then the surface broke at these open places and made the accordion affect.

It will take a lot of work to replace the surface; however, if the bridge surface is jack hammered into the area where the sand washed out, I would be willing to wager that this concrete filler will not wash out in another flood. If the new concrete surface were again to be placed between the bridge sides and allowed to settle into the broken concrete filler, that bridge will be there until the end of the world - Maybe?

I would recommend anyone who is at least a little bit curious to the take the trip. If you do not own a bike either borrow one or finally purchase one for yourself. This section of the Cedar Valley Trail is one of the prettiest sections of the trail. You will not regret the trip. The closest practical place to park is the trailhead in Brandon. Be sure to take your camera.