Highway commissioner outlines bridge, resurfacing and Highway T plans; board approves county aid and 2025 highway funding

Chippewa County Highway Commissioner Bridal Kelly presented the highway department’s annual operations report at the Nov. 7 meeting, detailing operations, pavement-preservation outcomes, bridge needs and design work for large projects including the Highway M bridge and the Highway T corridor.

Kelly told the board the highway system includes about 996 lane miles and that the department completed about 24.6 miles of resurfacing and 42 miles of chip seal in the most recent year’s work. "One of the few times we've done that," Kelly said of exceeding a 25-year replacement target. The department reported paving about 70,600 tons to date and maintaining an inventory of roughly 6,500 tons of salt and 9,500 tons of sand-salt stockpile ahead of winter.

Kelly described substantial bridge needs, including Highway M, a county bridge built in 1950 that he said has an overall condition score of 12.2 out of 100 and a preliminary replacement cost approaching $15 million. He said the county secured a federal earmark that was reduced in the federal process to $4 million and that the state local bridge program can contribute up to $6 million (state program cap), leaving an estimated Chippewa County share of about $5 million if both sources are obtained. Kelly said the county plans to use $418,000 from previously allocated funds to complete 30% design and required environmental and historic reviews to make the project shovel-ready and more competitive for grants.

Kelly also updated the board on the Highway T project, a multi-jurisdictional effort with Eau Claire County and municipal partners. Early cost estimates have ranged around $33 million; Kelly said a phased approach is planned and that phase 1 could be built for about $12.5 million, with Chippewa County’s share of the local split expected to be roughly $817,000 under the current cost-share formula and a larger $2.5 million local-share scenario discussed depending on total scope and bidding.

The presentation covered smaller but consequential items: 1,700 county culverts in the system, plans to chip-seal 35 miles in the coming year, investments in cybersecurity ($30,000), and a staffing plan that includes filling equipment and seasonal operator positions. Kelly noted the county opened a large portion of county highways to ATV/UTV travel under recent county-board action, increasing open county highway miles from 28 to 343.

At the end of the highway report, the board voted on two highway-related resolutions. Resolution 403-24, approving county aid for bridges and culverts in 2025, uses about $100,000 of fund balance to reduce the towns’ reimbursement burden and was approved by voice vote. Resolution 404-24, the annual highway funding resolution, authorizes county funds for construction and maintenance in 2025 and lists levy, bonding and sales-tax sources (the motion passed by voice vote).

Kelly said the county will pursue grants and design completion so the Highway M bridge and Highway T phases are ready when funding becomes available. He said that if the county’s share for a major bridge replacement is about $5 million, the county will need to consider setting aside funds in future budgets to meet that obligation when projects go to construction.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 403-24 (county aid for bridges and culverts, use $100,000 fund balance) — approved by voice vote; Resolution 404-24 (funding for highway projects and maintenance 2025) — approved by voice vote. Both were forwarded from the Highway Committee before board approval.

Kelly took questions from supervisors about project timing, environmental study lifespans and potential federal or surplus equipment sources. He said design and environmental work will be staged to avoid having to redo studies, and recommended moving forward with the 30% design on the Highway M bridge to strengthen future grant applications.