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S. 9th Place Bridge. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
governor Tony EversThe promise to “fix the damn roads” and the federal bipartisan infrastructure bill will result in two bridges being rebuilt in Milwaukee in the coming years.
As part of a statewide allocation of more than $200 million, the city of Milwaukee will receive funding to rebuild a bridge at South 9th Place and another at North Hawley Road. These were two of more than 150 projects funded in the latest round by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation under the state-sponsored Surface Transportation Program.
“I ran for governor promising to fix the damn roads. After improving more than 7,400 miles of roads over the past five years, I am excited today that we can continue to build on this important work with the help of the Biden-Harris administration’s bipartisan infrastructure bill,” Evers said in an Aug. 6 statement announcing the award. “These important investments, which will support more than 150 projects to improve local roads and Bridgeswill make a huge difference to communities across our state and contribute greatly to our efforts to build the 21st century infrastructure that Wisconsinites need and deserve. This is great news for Wisconsin.”
The north bridge to be reconstructed is the busier transportation link of the two funded projects. N. Hawley Road spans W. State Street and the Menomonee River and connects the Washington Heights and Story Hill neighborhoods.
According to a federal bridge condition database, the Hawley Road Bridge is in fair condition (based on a 2023 inspection). It was built in 1959 and rebuilt in 2005, according to the database, and will serve 12,695 vehicles per day as of 2023. A protected bike lane was added in 2020. According to the Department of Public Works (DPW), the project is worth $1.8 million for design and construction, with the federal government expected to provide $1.44 million.
The South Bridge to be replaced runs along South 9th Place and connects the Polonia and Lincoln Village neighborhoods. The bridge is located on a primarily residential street near W. Cleveland Avenue and spans the Union Pacific tracks, which run in an underground trench.
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According to a federal database on bridge conditions, the 9th Place Bridge is in poor, structurally deficient condition based on a 2023 inspection. According to the database, it was built in 1992 and serves 2,096 vehicles per day as of 2023. According to DPW, the design and construction project is $594,000, with the federal government expected to contribute $486,000.
Another bridge in Milwaukee County will be reconstructed using approved funds. The City of Greenfield secured funds to rebuild the W. Layton Avenue bridge over W. Forest Home Avenue.
“Through our efforts to keep our local government partners informed of program opportunities and prepare them to meet their application deadlines, we are able to support local projects in nearly every county in Wisconsin through the Surface Transportation Program,” said WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson.
Despite the funding commitment, construction is not imminent. The DPW expects actual construction to take place in 2028. Funding commitments are awarded periodically, with projects moving forward in a queue. The dozens of bridges in the city’s inventory include the high-profile movable bridges that cross the Milwaukee River, as well as a large number of smaller structures.
“The City of Milwaukee – Department of Public Works is pleased that Governor Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation have approved our project proposals for the redevelopment of S. 9th Place. Bridge via the UPRR and Hawley Road Bridge through State Street. We look forward to continuing to plan and implement these projects to Bridge infrastructure in Milwaukee,” DPW said in a statement.
