County highway commissioner provides Highway G bridge project update Replacement slated for 2025

By Valorie Brecht Clark County Highway Commissioner Brian Duell recently provided an update on the project involving the Highway G bridge, also known as the blue bridge, that crosses the Black River in Greenwood.

“There has been a lot of progress moving forward this past six months on the bridge project,” Duell wrote in an April 18 email. “The structure was determined to have historic value. The Federal Historic Preservation Standards were required to be followed. The end result was nobody offered to purchase the bridge and a small piece will be preserved at the Branstiter ‘Old Streets of Greenwood’ Museum. Historic photo documentation was also required to be obtained and will be preserved. A display board will also be created.”

Removal and replacement of the existing bridge will occur in 2025. The new structure will be a three-span, pre-stressed concrete bridge with a total length of 315’ 9”. A recreational (snowmobile) lane will be constructed on the bridge.

The bridge is expected to be closed from early summer through late fall of 2025. Site restoration and recreational trail surface treatment will be finished in the summer of 2026.

The construction cost is estimated at approximately $4 million.

“Funding percentages are still being worked on. Federal, state and local county funds will be used fund the project,” wrote Duell.

Current work includes final design approvals, purchasing an additional right-of-way to construct the wider bridge, coordinating with utilities and obtaining all required environmental permits. Planned action steps for May and June include submitting the soil boring logs and geotech report to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and having a migratory bird inspection completed. The goal is to have all real estate acquired by June 28, to put out an ad on the WisDOT website by July 9, to go out for bids by Aug. 13 and host a pre-construction conference by Oct. 15.