Wabasha County bridge inspection finds interior piling rot; replacement could take at least 18 months and lacks state funding

WABASHA, Minn. — County commissioners heard an update that specialized state inspections found interior rot in pilings on a Wabasha bridge and that replacing the bridge could take roughly 18 months, with no state funds currently allocated for the project.

“It's probably gonna be, at least about an 18 month process for that to get replaced,” Commissioner Powers told the board during commissioner reports, explaining the state conducts specialized inspections using equipment the county does not own. He said the governor’s budget, as he understood it, did not include additional funds for the bridge in 2026 and that the city may seek to contribute funding.

Commissioner Powers also described a township bridge project in Oakwood Township that does have funding and is estimated at $900,000 to $1,000,000, with roughly $20,000 of local township expense. He said county staff will assist for the township project even though the local share is small.

The board was told the highway department is moving forward with several road projects, including tree clearing and utility work related to a new route near the county building, and commissioners said they will hold a full‑board meeting between April and June to discuss future road projects once material‑cost estimates are clearer.

At the treatment court update, the board heard that a participant in phase 5 is planning a community project to clean a stretch of the Zumbro River between Hammond and Melville; the participant is contacting the DNR and landowners as part of project planning.

Why it matters: The need to replace a bridge raises near‑term scheduling and funding questions and could affect traffic and local budgets; the Oakwood Township project and scheduled planning session for county roads signal continuing transportation spending priorities.