The historic Lincoln Highway Bridge on East 5th Street along the orignal route of the nation’s first transcontinental highway on Monday, April 13, 2020. Major repairs aimed at preservation of the 104-year-old bridge have now been funded. News-Herald photos/John Speer

There won’t be a Lincoln Highway Bridge Festival this year due to COVID-19 concerns, but there’s still reason to celebrate according to City Council member Anne Michael and City Clerk Allyssa Hoskey.

An Iowa Department of Transportation grant to pay for the extensive repair work needed for the historic bridge on East 5th Street has gained approval city officials learned last week.

The local Lincoln Highway group members working with the Lincoln Heritage Byway program of Prairie Rivers of Iowa and City of Tama have sought since mid-2018 to put together enough funding to preserve the now 105-year-old structure.

“It’s wonderful news for the historic preservation of a structure unique to Tama,” said Anne Michael, a current member of the Tama City Council and a leading advocate for the work. She was also quick to credit Coleen Davis and her Lincoln Bridge supporters for “working so hard” to preserve the bridge and develop the adjacent park.

“I think it’s great the City of Tama has gotten this funding for the Lincoln Highway Bridge, ” Jan Gammon, Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway coordinator told The News-Herald.”The bridge, although previously scoring high for this program, did not make the cut to be funded in the past. This year, it was selected The Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway has assisted the City of Tama over the past 3 years or so to bring this project to fruition. We couldn’t be more excited.”

Cost of the restoration has ranged as high as $200,000. The DOT funding will not cover the planning and engineering costs of the work however, Hoskey said. But a grant totaling $50,00 was awarded in 2018 by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs through the Prairie Rivers of Iowa Resource Conservation and Development program.

The City of Tama wrapped up a $1.4 million improvement project on East 5th as a designated truck route carrying traffic from US. Highway 63 to Business Highway 30 in 2018. The Lincoln Highway Bridge on the eastern section of the roadway was not included in the improvements. The bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places.

No timetable for the work has yet been set but an initial discussion may take place at the regular city council meeting on April 20, Hoskey said.