Cobban Bridge planned to reopen ahead of schedule

“Things are really starting to look close to complete out there.”

Those words from Fred Anderson, project manager at the Chippewa County Highway Department, are about the new Cobban Bridge, which is underway, connecting one side of the Chippewa River to the other. Located between Cadott and Cornell, the crossing served as a timesaver for emergency services and travelers for a century.

Until recently. Last year, the historic old bridge was torn down, after it had remained closed for several years, because of safety concerns. Once the old structure was out of the way, work could begin on the modern design.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience as the contractor does all the final coordination to finish things up,” said Anderson. “This is the point in the project where all the final finishing touches are completed by a number of different contractors.”

While the bridge itself is mostly complete, there are still a number of items to finish, such as the barrier wall concrete pours, asphalt paving, gravel shoulders, electrical work, shaping and seeding slopes, pavement markings, final cleanup and also the county’s paving of County Hwy. TT, from the bridge to State Hwy. 27.

“All that being said, we are still looking to open the bridge in late July – approximately three months ahead of schedule,” said Anderson. “It sure will be nice to have a new river crossing that everyone can use.”