County highway staff favor scaled reconstruction near Spring Lake; temporary bridge set and Connors Lake replacement eyed for state grant funding

Sawyer County highway staff recommended a scaled approach to a multi-mile reconstruction project around Spring Lake, reported a temporary one-lane bridge installation at Winter, and said the county will pursue state ARIP funding to replace the Connors Lake bridge instead of using county dollars this year.

County Highway Department staff summarized recent work, including crack sealing and paving on several stretches of County and State Highways, and detailed a temporary bridge installation that took about two hours to set. Staff said the bridge arrived on two semis, sits over the existing structure, and adds one lane with a 10-mile-per-hour restriction and an HL-93 load rating suitable for log trucks. "So now we have 73 bridges in Sawyer County instead of 72," staff said, noting the temporary structure will not require inspection and has an anticipated service life of about five to six years.

On the larger Spring Lake corridor reconstruction, staff presented three alternatives and recommended alternative 2: full reconstruction on two non-lake sections (from Bayview to County B, and from Williams Road to North Road) while performing a mill-and-overlay for the roughly three-quarter-mile lakeside section. Staff said the mill-and-overlay allows the county to avoid federal funding rules that would require changing the road alignment or filling lake areas. The staff recommendation was framed as a cost- and schedule-conscious compromise: reconstructing the two long sections provides roughly 30 years of service life with proper maintenance, while a full reconstruction of the entire corridor would be more expensive, trigger lake impacts, and likely push the project to 2030.

Staff explained property accesses and right-of-way implications. The plan requires purchasing temporary limited easements (TLEs) for work access; staff defined a TLE as "temporary, limited easement" and said the county would buy small parcels for construction access and then return them. They also warned that if the county cancels the full project, the county would owe $192,626 to repay previously awarded funds. Staff estimated the county’s 20% share on the full reconstruction at roughly $760,000, though that figure could change with updated estimates.

The Connors Lake bridge—classified as a 6-to-20 structure—was discussed as a candidate for state ARIP funding. Staff said the county could delay replacement for a year, manage the existing single-lane, load-rated structure through winter, and apply for ARIP funds in the fall. Staff provided a rough internal estimate that an aluminum box structure alone would be about $83,000 and that county installation might cost $130,000–$140,000 total. Staff noted $30 million was recently added to the ARIP account and that applying for ARIP could avoid spending county funds this year.

Other highway updates: the county received a new salt contract with a price increase to $102.66 per ton (the estimated purchase to fill the shed is about $360,000); the deck replacement project near H has been rescheduled with a start date now set for Sept. 8 and an expected completion of Oct. 24; staffing changes include the filling of a winter foreman position (Jesse Nichols) and ongoing recruitment for an operator in Hayward (15–16 applicants reported); and staff set a county road tour for Tuesday the 15th from 9 a.m. to noon for board members to view projects. Staff also noted recent storm events caused many downed trees but did not produce culvert failures like neighboring counties.

Committee members generally supported the staff recommendation for alternative 2 on the Spring Lake corridor. Supervisor Randy Newman said he "strongly agree[s] with going with option 2" given landowner concerns and tree-clearing impacts along the lake. Staff said they would continue right-of-way work and coordinate with DOT and consultants on final scheduling and funding.

No formal vote was taken on the Spring Lake recommendation at this meeting; staff requested committee advice and said final scheduling and funding depend on ongoing right-of-way acquisition and federal fund availability.