WSOR to replace bridge with state funds

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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WisDOT

Wisconsin & Southern Railroad (WSOR) was awarded a $4.5-million grant from the state of Wisconsin last week to rebuild a bridge near Wauzeka in Crawford County.

The grant is from the Freight Railroad Preservation Program (FRPP) to cover 80 percent of the costs to entirely reconstruct bridge B-316 located near Wauzeka in a slough of the Wisconsin River.

The existing structure is an 82-span timber pile trestle, 1,107 feet in length. The replacement bridge will consist of 41 spans and be constructed primarily of steel piles and spans and concrete caps.

The $5.6 million project will also be funded with a Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Freight Railroad Infrastructure Improvement Program (FRIIP) loan of $564,730.

WisDOT says the project has been identified by engineering studies as necessary to improve the safety and operational efficiency of the Prairie du Chien to Madison rail line and reduce maintenance costs. The Prairie du Chien to Madison rail line is owned by WisDOT and the Wisconsin River Rail Transit Commission.

WisDOT says funding for this project was made available as a result of cost savings on the reconstruction of the Spring Green Bridge, due to the success of competitive bidding and low material prices.

Since 1994, WisDOT has provided more than more than $129 million in FRIIP loans and $236 million in FRPP grants to help fund 176 infrastructure acquisition, rehabilitation and improvement projects statewide.

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