Chippewa Falls Spring Street Historic Bridge Rehabilitation

Ayres used creative engineering and new technology to successfully rehabilitate the Spring Street Bridge, a historic and well-known structure over Duncan Creek in the heart of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. The project extended the life and dependability of this locally beloved structure while maintaining its original unique attributes.

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin awarded the project a 2018 State Finalist Award.

The graceful arched bridge with bowstring styling is the only remaining Marsh rainbow-arch structure in Wisconsin and one of a few in the United States. It was constructed in 1916 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Though the bridge itself is not large, completing this rehabilitation was no small feat. As the public did not want to replace the historic structure, several rehabilitation and replacement options were considered. After performing a traffic study, Ayres suggested making Spring Street a one-way street to remove the bridge’s functionally deficient classification.

The rehabilitation of the arch bridge required concrete repairs, a concrete deck overlay, concrete staining, and the use of a new technology of fiber-wrap reinforcing to preserve the historic features without damaging or removing the beautiful features that make this bridge an iconic landmark in the community of Chippewa Falls.

• Roadway Bridges & Culverts
• Safety Analysis & Audits