SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Two historic bridges in Sioux Falls need upgrades and the public can provide input on the plan, the South Dakota Department of Transportation said.

The SDDOT received a federal grant to replace timber pile approaches on the east and west ends of bridges P-125 and P-131 with steel H-pile and pre-cast concrete tubes. The upgrade is necessary to move 286,000-pound railcars across the bridges, the SDDOT said.

Bridge sites in Sioux Falls. SDDOT map.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is the lead Federal agency for compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106) which relates to these two historic bridges. Both bridges are on the South Dakota State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) historical list. The upgrades are intended to not adversely impact the historic the bridges.

Draft memorandum of agreement commitments on the mitigating the adverse effect of the project on the two bridges are available for public review on the SDDOT website

One of the bridges slated for an upgrade. SDDOT photo.

The public comment period on the draft MOA will end on Wednesday, Dec. 21.