Bridge project forces Highway A detour into early October

A construction project in a municipality adjacent to the Town of Fredonia is affecting travelers heading west out of town.

The bridge over the Milwaukee River on Highway A in the Town of Farmington about 1,900 feet east of Highway M is being replaced.

The bridge is closed to traffic. The detour route has traffic traveling on highways M and H.

Construction is expected to last through early October, depending on weather, according to the Washington County Highway Department.

The bridge, including its concrete deck, railings, piers and abutments, is in poor condition, according to the release.

The bridge deck is 22 feet wide, which is narrow for oversize vehicles and for when bikes and pedestrians are on the bridge with vehicles, according to the release.

Work includes replacing the bridge with a three-span concrete slab that’s 40 feet wide, including 12 foot-wide lanes and eight-foot wide paved shoulders.

Construction is being staged to allow canoes and kayaks to safely travel down the river under the structure.

The project is slated to cost nearly $1.8 million with Washington County paying 20% and the state and federal government covering the rest. Pheifer Brothers Construction of Neenah is doing the work.