Replacement of the Juneau Avenue Bridge gets underway next week when the bridge is closed to traffic Aug. 1.
Juneau Avenue will be closed between North Edison and North Old World 3rd Streets until Nov. 16, 2012.
Crews will remove all parts of the current structure, including the bridge, deck, piers abutments, machinery and the existing bridge house and construct a completely new facility.
Unlike the current bridge, a bascule design with two leafs that open to river traffic, the replacement will feature a vertical lift design, similar to the Knapp Street Bridge and other new structures built Downtown in recent years.
The bridge, opened to traffic in 1953, underwent emergency repair work in 2009 due to the harsh environment of the Milwaukee River and deterioration of the steel decking and support components. Because of those repairs, the Department of Public Works instituted weight and traffic restrictions.
Work on the Juneau Avenue Bridge will coincide with work on the Wisconsin Avenue Bridge. The $25 million price tag for those projects is covered in large part bu grants from the Federal Highway Administration and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
