Egan preserves beloved bridge, halts replacement project

The old Egan bridge has withstood the test of time, and for now, its future remains intact.
Following months of debate over whether to proceed with Phase 1 of a replacement project for the historic bridge over the Big Sioux River, primarily to avoid having to pay engineering fees already accrued during the investigatory process, the Egan City Council decided to halt the project altogether.
The decision, made during last weeks regularly scheduled council meeting, rescinds a previous vote to move forward with initial phases of the plan.
The move followed the council learning that repayment of preliminary engineering costs would not be required if the project were abandoned. The information reportedly came in an email from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the State Department of Transportation, but that email had previously been missed.
Earlier this year, the council voted to leave the bridge as is, responding to tremendous support from current and former residents who expressed a desire to preserve the structure in any capacity even as a footbridge.
Among those rallying support was Harvey Donley.
He shared the most recent update and thoughts on a Facebook page created to keep residents informed.
I want to take a moment and update everyone on the decision that was made at this months City Council meeting in regards to our beloved Egan Bridge. Before I do, I want to clarify my opinion and my stance, as I believe some people may have forgotten the very reason for this page. At the end of the day, our city council members are our friends and neighbors. They are doing the best they can with the knowledge they have.
Donley acknowledged frustrations over past decisions but emphasized the importance of transparency and civility in community discussions. He then shared some other welcome information.
Now for the update: information was given to the City Council in regards to a way for them to not have to pay for the engineering fees accrued to date. So, with that said, the council voted unanimously to not move forward in any capacity and to stop the project. It is also my understanding that the new bridge report came back stating no major repairs were needed. Long live our old beloved Egan Bridge.
Egan Council Chair Cody Chamblin is grateful for the opportunity but glad to put the experience behind them.
Although this was a great opportunity from the SDDOT to research the bridge for replacement, that is not what the citizens of Egan wanted. The council and I appreciate all community members concerns and input and hope to continue that communication to make Egan a community everyone is proud of.