Sleepy Eye Creek project delayed

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

COBDEN -- An unusual accident in Wisconsin and cold weather are among the issues hampering the completion of two new bridges over Sleepy Eye Creek west of this small Brown County community.

The highway bridge has been closed since the $4.6 million project began April 22. Motorists have been detoured to Brown County roads 24 and 8 and State Highway 258, adding about seven miles to their trips between Sleepy Eye and Springfield.

If weather conditions improve, the project could be completed the third week of November.

One cause for delay resulted from an accident near Eau Claire, Wis. earlier this year. A railroad bridge girder on its way to the Sleepy Eye creek site, slid off a semi-trailer. The girder needed to be tested. It was found to retain its structural integrity. But, the incident ate up a a month of valuable time.

The 94-ton, 157-foot-long bridge girders were the largest ever used in this part of the state, according to Minnesota Department of Transportation, Mankato Engineer Harry Carlson.

The concrete highway bridge over the creek and steel railroad bridge above it are nearly complete.

The railroad bridge has not been painted, and track has not been laid on it.

Monday, a cold northwest wind hit the new railroad bridge, creating a wind chill in the teens above zero, preventing any painting from being done.

While rock ballast is being placed where new track will be laid, the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad continues to operate on the old railroad bridge east of the new bridges.

The old railroad bridge and several concrete abutments and piers will be removed after the track is moved to the new bridge.

The new highway bridge is 3 feet higher than the old one.

Drainage and blowing snow around the bridge should be reduced when the project is completed. Rain water will drain into new ponds that will be built on both sides of the highway.

A highway curve west of the bridges is now much more gradual than its previous slope. Living snow fences (trees and shrubbery) designed to trap blowing snow were planted by Sleepy Eye Highway Department employees, on the other side of Sleepy Eye Creek, northwest of the bridges.

The new railroad bridge is wider and higher than the old one, making it much safer, according to Minnesota Department of Transportation Project Supervisor Nathan Gannon.

"We saw marks on the old bridge where objects struck it," Gannon said. "That shouldn't be such a problem now."

Highway 14 will remain closed to through traffic until the project is completed. Large, heavy equipment near the bridge pose hazards to traffic, Gannon said.

The project is taking a toll on Cobden's two bars -- Skinners Bar & Grill and the Iron Horse Saloon.

Despite a fair number of regular customers, Lenny Hillesheim of Skinners said he realized the old bridges needed to be replaced but hopes the project will be completed soon.

"It was hard to meet and see things under the old bridge. Something had to be done," Hillesheim said. "I just have to suffer through the construction period like everyone else. I'm hoping they get done this fall, but I don't know."

Iron Horse Saloon owner Joe Sturm sounded a little more bothered by the project.

"It's taking too long to get it done," Sturm said. "I live in Springfield and drive between the two towns three times a day sometimes. The detour adds 12 miles to the trip. It'll be nice when it's done. We'll have a party with drink specials when the road opens especially for people that live west of Cobden."