Weight restrictions placed on Holcombe bridge

Chris Vetter, The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.
·2 min read

Feb. 6—CHIPPEWA FALLS — Weight restrictions have been placed on a bridge in the town of Lake Holcombe while Chippewa County highway officials work on plans to rehabilitate the structure.

The Highway M Bridge, located west of Highway 27, is 798 feet long and was constructed in the 1950s, said Chippewa County Highway Commissioner Brian Kelley. Roughly 1,000 vehicles travel it daily to cross the Chippewa River.

Effective immediately, there will be a 30-ton weight limit in place, down from the present 40-ton limit. During a recent bridge inspection, distortion was found in several of the bridge's steel connection plates.

"We don't make these decisions lightly," Kelley said Monday morning. "We know it will inconvenience some businesses. We just had to take public protection into consideration, first and foremost. If we had to close it, it would be down for years."

Kelley explained that steel connections, called gusset plates, line the bridge. The inspection has shown several of the gusset plates had 3/8-inch and 3/4-inch buckling. His office is working with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's Bureau of Structures and structural engineers from a private consultant to evaluate the extent of the damages and determine any necessary repairs.

"We're trying to assess how bad the damage is," Kelley said. "It's a bit more complicated than we can handle in-house, so that's why we hired a consultant."

Engineering analysis is expected to take place during the next two months. The goal is to have the work completed this summer, and once it is done, the bridge would return to a 40-ton weight limit. He didn't have a cost estimate at this time.

Kelley has asked the public's cooperation, and asked for increased presence from state and county weight enforcement officers to prevent illegal loads from crossing the bridge.

"It's perfectly safe for cars and lighter trucks," Kelley said.

Despite being 70 years old, Kelley said the bridge is in otherwise good condition, and it isn't on a replacement schedule.

"We think it has quite a few years left," he said.

Any questions regarding this issue can be directed to the Chippewa County Highway Department at (715) 726-7914.