Work got underway this week to remove the former Ziegler Bridge, just south of Highway 33, that crosses the Milwaukee River.
The pedestrian bridge between Service Drive and Veterans Avenue is being removed by Janke General Contractors. A new bridge will be built about 100 feet to the south that will connect Main Street and Vest Park to Veterans Avenue and the Museum of Wisconsin Art.
A preconstruction meeting was held Tuesday morning.
“As soon as the water resides a bit we’re going to build a steel I-beam bridge under the Ziegler bridge and then start jackhammering the deck of the bridge,” Tony Niewolny, a superintendent with Janke Construction, said.
Railings of the bridge were removed on Tuesday and demolishing the old bridge is expected to take a couple days. A silt fence still needs to be installed and brick pavers need to be removed. Those pavers will be saved.
Contractors will be driving pilings about 20 – 25 feet. The manhole will be reconstructed and excavation completed before work begins on the new footbridge.