Sawyer County committee approves using stumpage funds to buy temporary bridge for Town of Winter

A Sawyer County Natural Resources Committee majority voted to recommend using surplus stumpage revenue to purchase a temporary bridge to restore access in the Town of Winter after the permanent Thornapple River bridge was closed for safety.

County forestry staff told the committee inspections found the Thornapple River bridge unsafe and the town closed it. County and town officials discussed a temporary solution because replacement through the county bridge program could take several years. Staff presented a cost estimate of roughly $140,000 to acquire, transport and install a prefabricated temporary bridge; the bridge itself was estimated at about $85,000, with the remainder covering transport and installation. The temporary structure described in committee discussion is 14 feet wide and 60 feet long and would be rated to carry logging trucks.

The committee was told the closure divides a large winter timber block and directly affects roughly a 10,000-acre portion of county forest. Forestry staff said about 861 acres in that block are already sold and about 400 additional acres are in preparation; they estimated nearly $800,000 of timber is effectively harder to access because of the closure, and that transportation detours could depress bids or prevent some sales from being sold in current market conditions.

County staff outlined two funding ideas: the county could purchase and own the temporary bridge, and the town could contribute to the remaining cost; or the county could use excess stumpage revenue from the prior year to cover acquisition. Committee members discussed the possibility of reusing the temporary bridge at other sites or loaning it to adjacent counties.

A committee member moved to use a portion of last year’s stumpage surplus to buy the bridge; another member seconded the motion. The chair called for the vote and the motion was carried. Committee members indicated public works would also consider the item at its meeting the same evening and that the full county board would ultimately act on financing and ownership.

Committee discussion noted replacement through the county bridge program could take “best case” about three years but more likely three to five years. Highway and forestry staff (identified in meeting remarks as highway commissioner John Pinto and forestry administrator Greg Peterson) were part of initial conversations with the Town of Winter.

The committee action restores a short-term access option for forestry operations and recreation while the permanent bridge replacement proceeds through the bridge program.