No Runny Eggs

WTMJ-AM is reporting that the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has closed the US-45 bridge over I-94 eastbound to all traffic because of additional cracks on the present bridge until its emergency replacement is in place. As part of the closures, the on-ramps to I-894/US-45 northbound from Greenfield, Lincoln and National Aves. are closed, and 84th Street at I-94, including the westbound off-ramp from I-94 to 84th, is closed to local traffic to facilitate the detour route (exit to I-94 eastbound, exit at 84th Street, enter I-94 westbound at 84th, and exit to US-45).

That particular bridge had also been subjected to a 30-ton weight limit since last August, with two other bridges (the south-to-east and north-to-west ramps) also subject to weight limits and an emergency replacement program. That had been scheduled to finish up at the end of May, with only nighttime and very-limited weekend closures.

I do have had a couple questions (one of them was answered in the video from WTMJ-TV)

– The plan had been to use new alignments for the three movements affected. Specifically with respect to north US-45, that alignment was expected to have a design speed of only 50 mph, compared to the current design speed of 60 mph. With only preliminary work (at least as of the last time I went through the interchange) done on the US-45 north emergency bridge, and the opportunity to replace on the same alignment now available, will the DOT take advantage? Scratch that – that span is already largely in place. That also means it is likely that the closure will not be as long as Memorial Day.

– Given the northbound US-45 bridge over westbound I-94 (which also carries traffic going onto US-45 north from I-94 east) is of the same age and construction type, is that bridge going to remain standing until the interchange is rebuilt?

Revisions/extensions (12:44 pm 3/26/2010) – One of the questions I had appears to have been answered.