The city of Wellman has started a process with the Iowa Department of Transportation to replace a bridge on the main thoroughfare south out of town. The Wellman city council authorized City Administrator Kelly Litwiller to sign an agreement with the DOT to replace the 9th Avenue bridge across Smith Creek on Ginkgo Avenue. Cost of the project is estimated to be near $1.5 million with the city responsible for the engineering and design costs of the project and the state accountable for up to $1 million of the construction costs and rights of financial approval for design and engineering. The Washington County Engineering and Secondary Roads department has offered their services for the planning phase which should keep costs down. Litwiller reported to the council that the project is likely two to three years away from construction.