U.S. Highway 18 Bridge construction won’t be completed this year
Work on the U.S. Highway 18 Bridge connecting Marquette and Prairie du Chien will not be completed this year as originally expected. 2020 construction will wrap up in early October, then continue for three months in 2021, starting in late March/early April. (Photo by Audrey Posten)
Contractor will likely need three months in 2021 to finish
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
Work on the U.S. Highway 18 Bridge connecting Marquette and Prairie du Chien will not be completed this year as originally expected.
According to Ralph Liegel with Jewell Associates Engineers, Inc., the project leader who is overseeing construction on behalf of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the contractor, Zenith Tech, Inc., “was still holding out hope to try and finish this year, but due to the increased amount of deck deterioration found on the project, which caused some delays, and the unknown arrival of the winter weather, the contractor and WisDOT both feel that it is in the best interest to suspend work operations” after the current stage is completed.
The contractor is likely looking at around three more months to finish the work, Liegel said.
The $6.2 million project, which includes deck and bridge wall repairs, new pavement and guardrail replacement, began in March. The rehabilitation is intended to prolong the life of the bridge, which opened in 1975.
Throughout construction, the bridge has remained open to one lane of traffic, which is controlled by signals. The project was split into six stages, allowing contractors room to work while keeping motorist delays at a reasonable time.
Zenith Tech completed the westbound lane overlay on span five, or the arched span, of the bridge last week. The contractor is scheduled to pave the rest of the overlay on the westbound lane of spans one through four, which are on the Iowa side, this week.
“Zenith Tech, Inc., is looking at finishing work for this construction season by the first weekend in October,” said Liegel. “At that time, the traffic control devices—signs, drums, concrete barrier, barricades—will be removed from the project and new epoxy paint applied. Then the traffic pattern will be normal again.”
Liegel said construction is anticipated to start up again next year around the end of March or first part of April. At that time, work will be completed on the final two stages of the project, which will take place on the eastern half of the bridge closest to Prairie du Chien.
The traffic control set up at that time will be similar to what is now in effect.
“However, since the operations will move eastward, the left turn lanes at the western end of the project will not be closed and the detours currently in effect will also disappear,” noted Liegel.
