The Sioux City Military Road Reconstruction project in Sioux City, Iowa, has won two awards: the 2021 ACEC Iowa Engineering Excellence Award and the 2021 APWA – Iowa Chapter Public Works Project of the Year Award. This project was led by JEO and our ideals of teamwork took center stage in this prime example of how multiple departments can work together to create a successful project that results in a happy client.

JEO served as the prime consultant on this $7 million, 17-month-long project and was responsible for design, permitting, interagency coordination, public engagement, and construction oversight. The project included redecking the existing bridge over the Big Sioux River, reconstructing five blocks of pavement along Military Road, replacing the corridor’s storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and water main infrastructure, installing a pedestrian beacon and traffic signal, constructing a sidewalk and shared-use path, adding decorative lighting, and incorporating locally inspired landscaping.

The bridge was one of the main components of the project, and the JEO team evaluated all options for the structure. The team utilized aerial LiDAR and drone survey, as well as traditional survey methods, to identify necessary bridge repairs. The substructure was found to be solid, enabling redecking instead of replacement, which avoided impacts to the Big Sioux River channel and minimized project costs. For the street surface on top of the bridge, high-performance concrete was selected based on its longevity in a life-cycle analysis.

During the redecking process, the bridge was closed to all users. While this allowed for a shorter overall closure and enhanced safety for construction workers, the team recognized it impacted the vital link between the communities of Sioux City and North Sioux City, South Dakota. In order to reopen the bridge as quickly as possible, an incentive/disincentive agreement was made with the contractor. In the end, the bridge re-opened on schedule.

In addition to the bridge, five blocks of Military Road were reconstructed to provide needed roadway and safety improvements. Traffic operations were also enhanced by converting the existing two-lane street to three lanes, matching the traffic configuration on the bridge, and reconfiguring intersections to reduce potential conflict points. The Complete Streets concept was implemented to provide long-term, multi-modal access to all in support of creating a vibrant, interactive community.