Bids are due this Friday for a new pedestrian bridge to be installed at Lake Darling State Park.

The bridge will connect the silt dam and the fishing trail at the south end of the lake. Park Ranger Zach Haworth says plans of this bridge had been in talks for awhile, but it was one person’s contribution that helped make this a reality, “Earlier this spring we had a donor step forward looking for a project to help fund and it was arranged that he would donate about $50,000 every six months for two years to get this bridge project going.”

Richland native Jerry B. Robinson gave the donation and resides in Colorado. Haworth says that when Robinson was a child he used to ride along with his father as he transported fuel for the bulldozers back when Lake Darling was originally constructed. Haworth says the DNR and the Friends of Lake Darling are grateful for the contributions Robinson has made now and for previous Lake Darling projects.

Haworth says what this bridge will mean for Lake Darling, “It will further allow folks to be able to explore the trail system of the park. It will be handicap accessible as well, so it will give folks another opportunity to see different parts of the park. And this bridge will also lead into future projects which could include extending the trail system potentially to the boundaries of the park, which would be, I think, very well received by bicyclists and anybody because it will give them more access into the park as far as a paved trail is concerned.”

The bridge has already been ordered and the Iowa DNR will select a contract bid for installation. Haworth says the completion date for installation is October 12.