The City of Fairfield’s long-planned replacement of the Walton Lake Causeway Bridge is now underway, with demolition preparations beginning in late November and construction expected to accelerate in early December.
The project dates back to July 2024, when the Property Committee determined that replacing the existing bridge with culverts was the most cost-effective and structurally sound solution. On October 14th, 2024, the Ways and Means Committee agreed that project funding would be split three ways to move the plan forward.
The City later received two construction bids, with Drish Construction submitting the lowest at $196,435.25. A preconstruction meeting between the City and Drish was held on May 13th, 2025, to outline project scope and scheduling.
On August 25th, 2025, the City Council approved a change order calling for the installation of a 10-foot by 8-foot box culvert, with a dirt backfill system and a controlled drawdown of Walton Lake to an elevation of approximately 717 feet. The City also received a drawdown permit that same day to legally lower the lake for construction access.
The plan received final regulatory approval from the Iowa DNR on October 24th, 2025, when the agency issued a construction permit for the box culvert and revoked the previously approved configuration involving 8–42” culverts.
Construction Activity Begins
Representatives from Drish Construction, French-Reneker, and City staff met most recently on November 19th, 2025, to finalize the first stage of field work. Drish began moving equipment to the site during the week of November 24th and is in the process of installing additional fencing and safety barricades. While demolition may begin as early as the week of November 24th, it is more likely to start during the week of December 1st.
As crews prepare the site, Drish will install a plug on a drainpipe beneath Walton Road to prevent water from the lake’s northwest finger from refilling the construction zone. The City and contractor may also pump excess water from the main lake to assist in lowering the water level to the required elevation.
City officials note that as gravity drainage slows due to reduced head pressure on the drainpipe, pumping may be used to maintain progress. However, any pumping will be controlled so that downstream creek flow does not exceed original levels, and to ensure the lake does not fall below the approved elevation.
Next Steps
The box culvert structure itself is nearly completed, but the City is still awaiting confirmation of a final delivery date from the manufacturer. Once received, installation and reconstruction of the causeway will proceed, marking the key phase of a project that has been in planning for more than a year.
