Wisconsin bridge closed, sagging more than 2 feet

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The bridge that carries Interstate 43 over the Fox River in Green Bay will remain closed indefinitely after a concrete support pier settled by a little over 2 feet, state officials said Wednesday.

The Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge was closed after a long, deep dip was discovered in the pavement about 5 a.m.

“Our No. 1 priority is public safety,” Gov. Scott Walker said. “We will fix this bridge,” he added, emphasizing its value to northeastern Wisconsin’s economy.

Walker spoke to reporters after getting a briefing from engineers, Press-Gazette Media reported.

State Transportation Secretary Mark Gottlieb said the bridge is not in danger of collapsing.

The closure could last months, or even a year, DOT spokesman Kim Rudat said. Detour routes have been posted.

The dip is 400 feet long and 20 inches deep, and goes across all four lanes of the interstate. That portion of the bridge was last inspected in August 2012. Cracks were found in the piers, but were determined to be normal wear.

Crews completed work on the bridge earlier this year as part of a nearly $17 million project to improve several miles of Interstate 43. The project included resurfacing the bridge’s span, replacing joints and repainting its steel support girders.

Federal data indicate the bridge deck, superstructure and substructure were rated as good to satisfactory in a 2012 inventory.

The bridge, which opened in 1981, carries about 40,000 vehicles a day. It’s named for Leo Frigo, a former cheese company president who founded a food pantry for the poor in Green Bay.