Concrete done, bridge girders in place at Lake Bronson Dam

By Anna Jauhola

AMES CONSTRUCTION worked on installing girders at the Lake Bronson Dam site on Friday, Dec. 12. (MnDNR photo)

On Wednesday, Dec. 11, three semis were escorted south on Highway 59 carrying huge girders bound for the Lake Bronson Dam project at Lake Bronson State Park. Three more followed them on Thursday, Dec. 12. The project is on hold for the winter. Ames Construction is still on track for late 2026 completion, with the lake opening for use in 2027.
Tyler Doll, Ames project engineer, said all the concrete for the project was poured by Nov. 25, which turned out to be perfect as the temperature started to drop the day afterward.
“It was perfect timing when we got the concrete work done for the new spillway,” Doll said. “That was a big milestone for us to get done.”
On Dec. 17 and Dec. 18, the final work for this season was completed on the bridge deck. Six beams for the girders on the bridge arrived and set in place. They used what’s called a beam launcher to set the girders from one side to the other. This allowed Ames to use their 80-ton crane to work with the beam launcher and slide the beams across. They will sit in place over winter and Ames will then secure the beams to the abutments in the spring.

To read the whole story, see the Dec. 24, 2025, edition of the Kittson County Enterprise