Dunn County posts Cedar Falls Bridge at 20 tons; replacement timeline, cost uncertain

Dunn County staff said the county posted the Cedar Falls Bridge on Double B at a 20‑ton load limit on Jan. 28 after a structural analysis found components in reduced condition.

County staff said the posting follows a routine inspection that identified structural members needing further analysis. "This past summer, routine inspection was completed," Austin (staff member) said, and the county then moved to a lower weight posting. Austin added, "Law enforcement will enforce it." The posting reduces the legal load from 45 tons to 20 tons for that structure.

The county described the posting as a preservation step to "help prolong the life of the bridge and the safety of the traveling public," and noted that a 20‑ton posting is roughly equivalent to a school bus. Staff said plow trucks may cross the bridge when not fully loaded but are being instructed to avoid heavy loads.

Nut graf: The posting removes higher commercial loads from the bridge while county and state authorities evaluate long‑term options. The bridge, originally built in the 1930s, is at an age and design the highway engineer described as obsolete; decisions on replacement will depend on state and federal programs and available funding.

State and federal processes will govern replacement timing and funding. The county said bridge inspection reports are submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and then to federal databases; if a bridge is placed into the DOT replacement cycle it can take several years from programming to construction. The county noted the DOT replacement program typically uses an 80/20 (federal/state to county) split and that an individual project is capped at $6,000,000 under that program. "I do believe this bridge is gonna cost more than that," Austin said, adding a rough, nonbinding estimate that a full replacement could cost upward of $10,000,000. He cautioned he did not yet have a firm estimate.

County officials said the posting will remain in place while program placement and funding decisions are made. The county urged drivers to obey the signs and said enforcement rests with the sheriff and state patrol rather than the highway department.

Background: Staff said the bridge is inspected annually; the move to a lower posting followed the latest inspection and a structural analysis. The county also said it has publicized the posting through local TV and social media channels.

Ending: County staff said the next steps are administrative: the DOT will determine whether the structure is entered in the replacement program, and if so the county will be notified of scheduling and cost estimates. The county provided no construction date.