Governor Evers approves bridge rehabilitation project in Jackson County

Work includes overlaying or replacing decks on I-94 bridges over the Black River and Union Pacific railroad tracks

Release date: August 28, 2023

To invest in Wisconsin's transportation system, Gov. Tony Evers has signed a $5.2 million contract with prime contractor Lunda Construction Co. of Black River Falls for a project rehabilitating two sets of bridges on I-94 in Jackson County – one over the Black River in the city of Black River Falls and the other over the Union Pacific railroad tracks in the town of Brockway. Construction is scheduled to start Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Built in 1967 and 1968 respectively, the bridges are showing signs of deterioration and in need of rehabilitation to extend their service lives.  The Wisconsin Department of Transportation plans to do the following for:

• Bridges over the Black River:
• Overlay both bridge decks with concrete.
• Repair the abutment backwalls.
• Replace the bridge joints and concrete approach slabs.
• Bridges over the Union Pacific railroad tracks:
• Overlay the eastbound bridge deck with concrete and replace the deck on the westbound bridge.
• Replace pier caps and concrete approach slabs.
• Repaint girders.

During construction in 2023, I-94 will remain open to two lanes of traffic during peak travel times as median crossovers are built for 2024 and 2025 construction. Single-lane closures will be permitted during off-peak travel times.

Construction in 2023 is scheduled for completion in October, with work to resume in spring 2024. In 2024 and 2025, traffic will be bidirectional before Memorial Day and after Labor Day, but I-94 will be open to two lanes of traffic in each direction during the winter and summer.