Advertisement

Construction on U.S. Highway 18 Bridge will resume April 5

Error message

  • Warning: array_merge(): Expected parameter 1 to be an array, bool given in _simpleads_render_ajax_template() (line 133 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to get property 'settings' of non-object in _simpleads_adgroup_settings() (line 343 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Warning: array_merge(): Expected parameter 1 to be an array, bool given in _simpleads_render_ajax_template() (line 157 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in include() (line 24 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/templates/simpleads_ajax_call.tpl.php).

By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

 

Construction on the U.S. Highway 18 Bridge connecting Marquette and Prairie du Chien will resume on Monday, April 5, weather permitting.

 

The $6.2 million project, which includes deck and bridge wall repairs, new pavement and guardrail replacement, began last March. The rehabilitation is intended to prolong the life of the bridge, which opened in 1975.

 

Initial plans were to complete the work in one construction season, but an increased amount of deck deterioration caused some delays, prompting the contractor, Zenith Tech, Inc., and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) to suspend operations in early October.

 

By last fall, the overhead arch span of the bridge near Marquette, along with the spans west of that, were all completed. Tim Maedke, project manager with the WisDOT, said the remaining work is an extension of what was completed last year, just moving to the next section to the east, closer to Prairie du Chien.

 

“The top surface of the existing concrete will be milled and then the deteriorating areas that remain will be identified and removed with jackhammers and a new concrete surface poured,” Maedke explained. “The concrete parapets [bridge walls] also will get the same treatment, then chip out the deteriorating concrete and pour a new face to encapsulate the remaining parapet wall.”

 

Like last year, the bridge will remain open to one lane of traffic, which will be controlled by temporary signals.

 

Maedke said one difference is that the work is now far enough away from the U.S. Highway 18/Marquette Drive intersection in Marquette that officials do not anticipate closing off left turn movements at that intersection.

 

The length of the traffic lights will be controlled by a timer and sensor. In a Facebook post, the Mar-Mac Police Department urged drivers to be respectful of the signals.

 

“If you fail to obey the red light, you will cause the system to reset to all red, which will cause significant traffic delays,” the post stated. “Not only would the other affected motorists become angry with you, but you will also receive a citation, which may also come with a construction zone penalty enhancement.”

 

Maedke said the project time frame is difficult to accurately determine since the quantity of work can vary significantly based on the condition of the concrete after the milling has taken place. 

 

“If the east half of the bridge is similar to the west, we are anticipating two months per stage, so April to July,” he said.

Rate this article: 
No votes yet