Governor Evers approves bridge repair project in Chippewa County

Damaged girder on bridge carrying County OO over northbound US 53 to be replaced

Release date: August 29, 2023

To invest in Wisconsin's transportation system, Gov. Tony Evers has signed a $384,382 contract with prime contractor Lunda Construction Co. for a project to repair the bridge carrying County OO over northbound US 53 in the Chippewa County village of Lake Hallie. Construction is scheduled to start Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Built in 2002, the bridge was struck Feb. 13, 2023, by the raised boom of a logging truck traveling on northbound US 53. To repair damage to the southern girder, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation plans to:

• Remove and replace the damaged girder and a section of the County OO bridge deck.

During construction, most work will be completed using lane closures on US 53 and County OO. However, northbound US 53 will be closed overnight for up to three nights, and eastbound County OO can be closed for up to 10 consecutive days. During closures, the following detours will be used for:

• Northbound US 53: Northbound traffic will be detoured via the Melby Street and Business 29 interchanges. Northbound traffic will exit at the Melby Street interchange, travel west to Business 53 to WIS 124 to West River Street in Chippewa Falls and back to northbound US 53.
• The first overnight closure of northbound US 53 is expected to begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday or Thursday, Sept. 6 or 7, with the northbound lanes reopening to traffic by 6 a.m. the next day.
• Eastbound County OO: Eastbound traffic will be detoured via southbound US 53 to the Melby Street interchange.
• If northbound US 53 is closed at the same time as eastbound County OO, eastbound traffic will follow the detour west on Melby Street.

Construction is scheduled for completion in November.