BLUE EARTH — “I know this news is a little old, but we had to close the bridge on 165th Street,” Public Works director Mark Daly told Faribault County commissioners Tuesday.

The bridge is located south and east of Huntley and spans Center Creek.

“During a routine safety inspection, we discovered one of two bridge timber pier beams is crushed, and the timber deck is sagging,” Daly noted.

He said that although the bridge is in Verona Township, Faribault County is responsible for safety inspections, recommended repairs and replacement, if necessary.

“A structural engineer has been hired to review repair and/or replacement alternatives,” Daly explained. “If it is determined the bridge cannot be repaired and must be replaced, it could be closed for a couple of years.”

Daly also submitted a proposal to the board for the purchase of a Caterpillar 950 Wheel Loader. The price is $235,000, but the county is trading in its 1999 938G, which brought the final cost of the new loader to $179,800.

By ordering the new machine this year, the county will avoid a price increase of up to 3 percent had it waited until next year. However, the loader will not actually be paid for until next year, with the cost coming out of the 2020 budget.