JULY 28, 2015

PRESS RELEASE – COBBAN BRIDGE STATUS UPDATE

CHIPPEWA COUNTY AND THEIR DESIGN CONSULTANT AECOM OF STEVENS POINT, WI CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY AND DEVELOPMENT OF PRELIMINARY DRAFT ALTERNATIVES FOR THE COBBAN BRIDGE THAT CAN BE PRESENTED AND REVIEWED BY OUTSIDE APPROVAL AGENCIES SUCH AS THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, US CORP OF ENGINEERS AND WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.  UPON COMPLETION OF THESE INITIAL REVIEWS AND APPROVALS ADDITIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS WILL BE SCHEDULED TO OBTAIN PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THE FINAL STUDY AND PROPOSED ALTERNATIVES.

CHIPPEWA COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN PAUL MICHELS STATES THAT THE BOARD IS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT ROUND OF PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS.  PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS PROJECT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO COUNTY BOARD MEMBERS AND SHOULD BE MADE PART OF THE BRIDGE RECORD AT THE UPCOMING PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS. CHAIRMAN MICHELS CONFIRMS THAT A COBBAN BRIDGE PROJECT PRESENTATION AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE NEXT ROUND OF PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS WILL BE MADE AT A FUTURE COUNTY BOARD MEETING.  IN PREVIOUS COUNTY BOARD ACTION THE BOARD FUNDED THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND DEVELOPMENT OF DRAFT DESIGN ALTERNATIVES.

CHIPPEWA COUNTY HIGHWAY COMMSSIONER BRUCE STELZNER STATES THAT THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT AND THEIR DESIGN CONSULTANT ARE DILIGENTLY WORKING THROUGH THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE FEDERAL BRIDGE DESIGN PROCESS AND THAT PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS WILL BE SCHEDULED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

THE HISTORIC COBBAN BRIDGE ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED IN 1908, IS A TWO SPAN SINGLE LANE PENNSYLVANIA OVERHEAD TRUSS STRUCTURE AND IS THE OLDEST OF ITS KIND IN WISCONSIN.  THE BRIDGE CARRIES CTH TT ACROSS THE CHIPPEWA RIVER IN CENTRAL CHIPPEWA COUNTY, MIDWAY BETWEEN JIM FALLS AND CORNELL.

FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THIS PROJECT PLEASE CONTACT CHIPPEWA COUNTY PROJECT MANAGER FRED ANDERSON @ 715-726-7914 OR fanderson@co.chippewa.wi.us