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Information kiosks are tentatively planned for Riverside, Houska and Pettibone parks, while Internet users will soon be able to follow the bridge's development at www.dot.state. wi.us/projects/d5/mriver/index.htm. Progress photographs will be updated weekly, DOT officials said Wednesday.
The new bridge, which will be built in early 2003 and 2004, will complement the existing Cass Street Bridge. The old bridge will carry two lanes of westbound traffic and the new bridge will carry two lanes of eastbound traffic.
Information and photographs also will be posted at various area libraries and government buildings, DOT officials said. In addition, civic groups and schools interested in learning more about the bridge project can invite a project supervisor to visit.
At a cost of nearly $40 million - rising steel prices since 1998 pushed up the initial cost of $19.2 million - the new bridge is being built to improve traffic flow and provide safer and more efficient access to downtown La Crosse and toward La Crescent, Minn. It will stand approximately 35 feet south of the existing bridge.
Significant public interest is expected because it will be a very visible project, DOT District 5 Director Joe Olson said. The new bridge will be the single largest transportation improvement in the La Crosse area since the Interstate system was built in the 1960s, Olson said.
Also announced Wednesday was the first of three contracts for the new bridge. Lunda Construction Co. of Black River Falls, Wis., was awarded a contract for a retaining wall, piers, abutments and steel work. Other contracts for the bridge's deck, lighting, sidewalk, railing and approach roadway work will be let to bids late next year.
All "right of way" issues involving businesses in the new bridge's path have been resolved, said Steve Flottmeyer, project manager.
The new bridge will feature a single span arch, which was chosen for cost effectiveness in terms of construction and maintenance, DOT officials said. Project planning, which began in 1993, utilized an advisory committee made up of local business people and city, county, state and federal officials.
The existing bridge is expected to be replaced with an identical single span arch bridge in 20 to 25 years, DOT officials said.
State and federal funds will pay for the new bridge, as well as 75 percent of the $5 million approach roadway work. The city and county of La Crosse will split the remaining 25 percent of roadway costs.
Cameron Avenue between Third and Fourth streets will become a one-way road heading east, while Cass Street between Third and Fourth streets will become a one-way road heading west. Sidewalks and bicycle lanes will line both the new bridge and its west approach.
Traffic on the existing bridge is not expected to be affected during construction of the sister bridge, but motorists should expect diversion during approach roadway work.
But what of the new bridge's name? The Cameron Avenue Bridge? The New Blue Bridge?
The project logo includes the phrase, "The Coulee Crossing: A Bridge To The Future," but that is not an official name, Olson said. Officially, it's up to the state Legislature to decide, he said.
RIVER CROSSING HISTORY
1854 - First ferry between La Crosse and La Crescent was a treadmill vessel powered by a mule.
1856 - First steam-powered ferry enters service.
1891 - A wagon bridge that touched down at the former Mount Vernon Street was dedicated. Part of the bridge swung to allow river traffic to pass.
1935 - A temporary timber structure was built in 11 days after an automobile struck the wagon bridge and dropped the crossing off its east abutment and into the river.
1939 - Cass Street Bridge was dedicated. It took two years to build and cost an estimated $1.5 million.
1983 - Bridge's deteriorated deck was replaced with steel open-grate deck.
1993 - Study began for a new or second bridge.
2003 - Construction scheduled to start for a second Mississippi River bridge.
Sources: Tribune files and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
