MADISON, WI /OES provided project management, construction inspection, and materials certifications for the construction of two new bridges in Black Earth, WI. The bridges had been damaged by heavy rains and flooding in August 2018. The flooding had damaged underwater sections of the west bridge, and the north bridge pier had collapsed into the water. The contractor successfully minimized impacts to the creek itself during removal of the damaged sections, as Black Earth Creek is a valued resource for trout fishing. The new bridges were completed on November 14, a mere eight weeks after the start of construction.

The project received the 2018 Annual Award for Outstanding Highway Construction Project for Excellence in Small Structures from the Wisconsin DOT. The OES project team (Terry Weiss, Jim Soehnlein, Curt Neuhauser, and Steve Norin) is very pleased to have worked with the contractor, Kraemer North America, to help the Black Earth community recover from the flooding.