Robert Street bridge deck replacement set for this summer

By Chris Spangler

Fort Atkinson’s Robert Street bridge will be closed for three months this summer to undergo a total deck replacement.

City engineer Andy Selle outlined the project when the Fort Atkinson City Council met in regular session Tuesday evening.

“In practical terms, we will be removing everything we would drive on and replacing it,” Selle said. “The deck is roughly a foot or more thick in places. All of that will be taken up and replaced.”

He said the work will be done all at once, meaning that the bridge will be closed throughout its duration.

The project calls for four traffic lanes, one of them being a dedicated left-turn lane for northbound vehicles.

“This particular intersection — and, in fact, when you cross through the intersection with a quick merge — is challenging,” Selle said. “At certain times of the day, traffic will back up all the way to near Milwaukee Avenue near that left turn.”

In addition, the timing of the traffic signals at Riverside Drive and South Third Street will be coordinated. 

“We’ve had several pedestrian crashes and several vehicle crashes at Milwaukee Avenue, all of which stemmed from a lack of gaps in the traffic because these signals weren’t coordinated,” Selle said. “So the DOT (state Department of Transportation) is making those improvements.”

Also planned for the Robert Street bridge is a parapet wall separating the sidewalk from the traffic.

“I’m sure we’ve all seen scenarios where folks are walking along the bridge with young children and literally a step off the curb puts you into the path of active traffic,” Selle said.

A decorative railing and lighting similar to that on the pedestrian/bike trail bridge to the east will be added as well. 

“As I described to the DOT, this is a feature … that at least 50% of our community travels over at some point during the day since we only have two bridges, and we want to make it look nice,” the city engineer said. “So they have graciously accepted that challenge and provided some aesthetic improvements.”

During the bridge reconstruction, the regional detour will take traffic around the city on the State Highway 26 bypass and utilize State Highway 59 to the south. Local traffic will be taken across the Main Street bridge.

“The plan is to temporarily remove all parking on Main Street,” Selle explained. “What this will do for us is eliminate traffic congestion in this area.”

He said studies have shown that the four lanes will enable vehicles to travel up or down Main Street at peak periods without creating any significant delays. So-called “smart” traffic signals will enable a smooth flow of traffic without a lot of stops and starts.

Selle noted that the city will increase signage for public parking along the route during the project.

“We have ample public parking downtown, but as we all understand, we’ve become quite comfortable parking literally a few steps away from our destination, and that will have to change a little bit during construction,” he told the council.

Downtown business owners were informed of the temporary parking ban and provided input on which the city is following up. The School District of Fort Atkinson and its transportation provider also have been made aware of the project.

Selle pointed out that there are two non-signalized pedestrian crossings downtown, one at South Water Street and one at North Water Street. Increased signage and road markings will be placed there to warn the public about potential hazards.

Contractor bids for the project will be opened April 12, with the Robert Street bridge closed and Main Street parking prohibited starting the week of May 23.

“One of the things about this project we really hammered to the DOT was that we wanted it to start in the spring and not extend into the new school year starting around Labor Day,” Selle said.

The bridge is required by contract to be open for traffic by Aug. 27. 

“On Aug. 28, if substantial completion has not occurred, the contractor will be paying us for every day they are late,” he said.

Selle said the new deck should last 30 to 40 years with good care and maintenance.

Meanwhile, the abutments on each side of the bridge are in good shape, he reported, as are the piers and superstructure.

The pedestrian crosswalk at Van Buren Street will be removed for safety reasons.

I can’t sing the praises of the DOT enough on this,” Selle said. “They fast-tracked this project and have been phenomenal in responding to our concerns, our needs and suggestions.”

City council President Chris Scherer emphasized the importance of educating the public about the pending bridge project.

“This is going to impact every person in Fort Atkinson,” he said. “So please be patient, please slow down on Main Street, support our Main street businesses that are down there and understand that we’ve worked hard to make sure that all our partners involved in this are aware of what’s going on. And please reach out if you have questions.”

Councilperson Megan Hartwick agreed, adding, “And remember that repairing a bridge without inconvenience is impossible.”

An earlier story, including a DOT project information video, is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/dot-seeks-input-for-robert-street-bridge-rehabilitation-project/.