That Confounded Bridge

Last April I told you about repairs to a bridge on the Eisenbahn State Trail north of downtown Kewaskum. Here’s what the bridge looked like just after the new decking was installed:

I wasn’t happy with the repairs, and these were my complaints:

• As they wear out, the new boards that run in the same direction as trail traffic—not at a 90-degree angle to it—will pop up not on the edges of the trail, but within the path of trail users, presenting a tripping hazard for walkers and a potential over-the-bars danger for bike riders.
• Expansion and contraction of the boards will cause gaps wide enough to trap a bike tire.

A little more than one year later, those safety issues are a reality. Let’s look at some photos of the bridge as it appeared on Sunday afternoon.

This picture shows board ends that project an inch or more from their original positions. There are many boards in this condition. It’s not hard to imagine someone tripping, or a baby stroller coming to a jarring halt.

At least one board behaves like a see-saw: applying weight to one end of the board will lift the other end completely out of its intended position.

And we’re already seeing big gaps between the boards. This one is more than an inch wide, large enough to trap some commonly-used bike tires.

Of all the bridges on the Eisenbahn, only this bridge has decking that runs in the same direction as trail traffic. Bridges in Fond du Lac County have decking at 45 degrees … still not great, because it allows some board ends to pop up in the middle of the trail. All other Washington County bridges have decking at 90 degrees. That’s the right way! Board ends will pop up on the edges of the trail, safely out of the high-traffic middle. And gaps between the boards won’t trap tires even as they widen over time.

Washington County, fix this bridge. It is a disaster waiting to happen.