Emergency Bridges Needed

The bright side is that those happen to be the bridges in that interchange that I use the least

Three bridges in the Zoo Interchange have reached such dire condition that the state Department of Transportation acted Thursday to replace them, in what could be a weekend barn-raising fashion, before Memorial Day.

As envisioned by state engineers, sections of pre-constructed replacement spans, upwards of 200 feet long, would be moved into place rapidly to avoid months-long road closings required for traditional demolition and reconstruction work.

Use of the accelerated construction approach would be a first in Wisconsin.

DOT officials estimate the rapid replacement will cost roughly $12 million to $22 million.

And the new bridges will be torn out and replaced again, during a reconstruction of the entire interchange, now projected to begin around 2014 to 2016.

The state appears to have little choice but to double up the bridge building.