Removal planned for old Butte des Morts bridge piers on US 41 in Oshkosh

Work will involve blasting and full freeway closures on US 41

(Green Bay) The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Northeast Regional office is announcing work to remove the old bridge piers associated with the main span of the Butte des Morts bridge project on northbound US 41 in the city of Oshkosh will include blasting.  Demolition is scheduled for Tuesday, September 25, between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. 

Before each blast, law enforcement will clear all traffic on northbound and southbound US 41, between WIS 76 and WIS 44, using rolling roadblocks that will delay travelers for up to 15 minutes. Between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m., the main channel will close to boats and all boats on Lake Butte des Morts will be required to remain at least 500 feet away from either side of the causeway during this time. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department will be assisting with boat traffic during the closure. Officers from the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are also assisting WisDOT.

During the blasting process, each of the eight bridge piers are predrilled and fitted with dynamite. The piers are approximately 12 feet in height, with roughly 3 feet visible above the surface of the water. A warning will sound before each detonation. Once each blast takes place, law enforcement will re-open US 41 to motorists.