BREITUNG TWP— The recent rapid deterioration of a bridge along a former rail grade here is raising concerns about a possible threat to the drinking water source for both Tower and Soudan.
The age of the concrete bridge, which spans the East Two River just over a quarter mile southwest of the Tower-Breitung water tower, isn’t known for sure, but its pronounced deterioration in the past two years is raising the risk the bridge could collapse into the river, potentially blocking its flow. The bridge includes two arches, through which the river flows, but high water the past two springs has caused portions of the aging concrete structure to break away, while major sections have cracked badly and appear ready to collapse further.
A full collapse of the bridge, which has considerable mass, would almost certainly cause an extensive backup of the river, potentially flooding the water source for the joint water system operated by the Tower-Breitung Waste Water Board (TBWWB). The wells and pumping facilities for the joint water system are located less than 100 feet from the river, just upstream of the deteriorating bridge. The bridge and the former rail grade it connects are considerably higher in elevation than the wellheads and pumping station, so any blockage of flow could lead to the inundation of the drinking water facilities.
The situation has been a growing concern for Matt Tuchel, who oversees the operation of the drinking water and wastewater facilities for the TBWWB. Tuchel said he reached out to the DNR’s area hydrologist about the situation two years ago, mostly to establish a game plan should the bridge collapse. “I wanted to find out if this were to happen, could I come in an emergency with an excavator and dig it out,” said Tuchel, who has made his board aware of the risks involved.
Addressing the situation is complicated by several factors, including that the bridge is on private property and that no public entity seems to have clear jurisdiction or responsibility for its removal or repair. Tuchel said he has reached out to the owner of the property at least twice in the past couple years to discuss possible solutions for removing the structure, but never received much interest in an action plan. Tuchel said he had offered to hire a contractor and split the cost with the landowner, but there appeared to be little interest in that idea from the landowner.
Tuchel said he tried to explain the potential liability the landowners could face should the bridge collapse and flood the drinking water facilities. Such an outcome would lead to boil orders for both Tower and Soudan and could cost anywhere from $300,000-$500,000 to repair. While the TBWWB’s insurance would cover those costs, he said the board’s insurer would almost certainly seek reimbursement from the landowner. Given that the landowner has been made aware of the liability, failure to correct the situation could constitute actionable negligence.
Meanwhile, the bridge has already experienced partial collapses. Two years ago, a large sinkhole formed on the rail bed above the bridge, indicating that a portion of the underlying structure had collapsed. Additional portions of the rail bed have eroded or fallen away since and sizable pieces of the concrete structure have broken off as well. Many large cracks exist in the rest of the concrete structure and it’s clear that additional portions of the bridge are poised to fall away at any time.
“That bridge is a danger, no doubt about it,” said Tuchel. “I would really like to see it gone.”