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Chippewa County updates plans for aging Highway M bridge as weight limit and safety concerns persist
Summary
County staff described the deteriorating condition of the 798‑foot County Highway M bridge, explained monitoring steps, and outlined a financing and design timetable for replacement planning and 30% engineering work.
Chippewa County highway staff described the Highway M (Chippewa River) bridge as a high‑priority replacement because of structural decline, a reduced weight limit and safety concerns for emergency response and school transportation.
"This is our biggest bridge in Chippewa County on the county system — 798 feet long," Highway Commissioner Brian Kelly said. Kelly told the board the bridge's sufficiency rating is low (about 12.2 out of 100) and that multiple gusset plates on the truss connectors have buckled; the posted weight limit was lowered to 20 tons in recent years.
Staff said the bridge spans deep water (about 33.5 feet) and a sudden closure would create a 15‑mile detour for many users. Because heavy loads still try to cross the span, the county has used strain gauges and cameras to detect overweight crossings; some strain gauges were vandalized in November, county staff said.
To move toward replacement, the county signed a contract with Ayres and Associates for 30% design engineering (about $167,000). Staff said preliminary construction estimates have ranged as high as $15 million, and the county is pursuing a mix of grants: Local bridge program funding (state) and a pending congressional discretionary request. County staff said a combined $4 million (CDS) plus a likely $6 million local bridge award would reduce Chippewa County’s anticipated share; exact local obligations depend on grant outcomes and final design choices.
Commissioners asked about safety for school buses and emergency vehicles. Kelly said he reduced an initial 30‑ton recommendation to a 20‑ton posting to increase safety margin and that the county would not keep an unsafe bridge open. "I closed the Cobham Bridge when it got unsafe," Kelly said.
Staff outlined a schedule to complete 30% plans this year, finalize design by 2027 and target construction in 2028–29 if funding is secured.
Ending: The county continues monitoring the structure, increasing strain‑gauge and camera protection, and pursuing multiple funding sources; staff asked the board to approve continued design work and grant applications.
