Pleasant Street Lift Bridge Over the Milwaukee River
The Pleasant Street bridge is now open to traffic! The official ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on Thursday, August 1 at 4:00 p.m. on the west end of the bridge.
Celebration of the bridge opening will follow at 4:30 p.m. at Wolf Peach Restaurant (formerly Roots) at 1818 N. Hubbard St. Press advisory Wolf Peach invitation Pleasant Street Bridge fact sheet
Pleasant Street Bridge completed
Bridge house fully restored on the Pleasant Street Bridge
Project Summary
Work to rehabilitate the Pleasant Street Lift Bridge began in September 2012. The project contractor, Zenith Tech, installed temporary pedestrian fencing around the west side of the staging area to maintain safe pedestrian access to the Riverwalk. Next, the contractor began concentrating on the west approach of the bridge by removing the concrete deck and the steel grating on the lift span, plus the hydraulic and mechanical equipment.
Currently, the removal of the steel grid floor, structural steel, bumper beams and gutters is taking place on the lift span. Crews are also beginning to remove various internal lifting machinery and components. The contractor is on schedule, and crews are working eight hour days, five days a week.
"Open for Business” signs were placed along the detour route to inform the public that the businesses located north of the bridge project are open. Separate signs were made for the Schlitz Park Complex, due to the number of businesses located within their area. The other businesses were listed on a separate sign. Roots Restaurant closed a couple of weeks ago and Tim Dixon, owner of the building, is planning to open another restaurant in that location at the end of October. Mr. Dixon or his associates will be contacted to get the logo of the business to replace the Roots logo.
Open for Business Signage - King Drive
Open for Business Signage - Water Street
DPW-Traffic Engineering has made adjustments to the traffic signals at the intersection of Pleasant Street and Commerce Street, with more “green” time added for Pleasant Street motorists. Nearly every driver traveling southbound on Commerce Street was turning right on red onto westbound Pleasant Street due to the closure of the bridge. This change has improved the progression for drivers traveling to and from the Aurora Health Center parking lot, as well as for traffic using the King Drive and Pleasant Street intersection. Additionally, pedestrians have plenty of time to cross Pleasant Street.
We appreciate everyone’s patience as bridge detours were established and traffic patterns adjusted accordingly. Pleasant Street Detour Plan
Project Update: November 6, 2012
The rehabilitation of the Pleasant Street Bridge continues on schedule. Last week the contractor, Zenith Tech, poured the west concrete approach deck and has essentially completed removals of the steel grid floor, structural steel and other components. Over the next couple of weeks the work will focus on pouring the sidewalk on the west concrete approach and the pads for the new traffic gate arms on the west side.
Other on-site work will include concrete surface repairs in the machinery pits and preparations for painting the stripped down lift span steel. Off-site work now includes refurbishing, sandblasting and refinishing all the removed machinery. Once again, the contractor is on schedule and crews are working eight hour days, five days a week.
The Roots Restaurant logos were replaced with the Wolf Peach Restaurant logos, which opened on October 31st.
Project Update: January 17, 2013
The rehabilitation of the Pleasant Street Bridge remains on schedule for completion by August 2013. Since the update in November, the old roadway steel has been completely removed and new roadway steel is being fabricated. It is anticipated that delivery and installation will begin later this month. The old bridge machinery has been removed and is currently being fabricated. Painters are completing the second half of the lift span. Steel sandblasting and painting will occur over the next couple of weeks. The other major piece of work going on is concrete surface repairs of the old bridge counterweights and the concrete walls down in the counterweight pits.
Project Update: February 7, 2013
The rehabilitation of the Pleasant Street Bridge remains on schedule for completion by August 2013. Since the update in January, the painting of the lift span steel has been completed along with removal of the paint containment. There have been multiple deliveries of new roadway steel, which is currently being installed on the lift span. It is anticipated that steel installation will continue into next month. Fabrication of bridge machinery is on-going, and concrete surface repairs to the bridge counterweights and pits should be wrapping up over the next three weeks.
The next construction items will include continuing with installation of lift span steel components, lowering the counterweights back into the pits and demolition of the roadway approach span on the east side of the river.
Photos show the crane lifting a new structural steel floor beam. The protective covering has been removed and the painting completed.
Project Update: March 11, 2013
The rehabilitation of the Pleasant Street Bridge remains on schedule for completion by August 2013. Since the update in February, there have been multiple deliveries of new roadway steel, which is being installed now and into April. Fabrication of bridge machinery is ongoing, and concrete surface repairs to the bridge counterweights and pits are nearing completion.
Project Update: April 12, 2013
The Pleasant Street Bridge project remains on schedule for completion by August 2013. Since the update in March 2013, the final shipment of roadway steel has arrived, and is currently being installed on the lift span. The first shipment of roadway grating is due in mid-April. It is anticipated that steel and grating implementation will continue through April and into May.
Demolition of the east roadway approach deck has been completed. Form work and reinforcing steel for the new concrete beam and deck will be installed over the next several weeks, with the concrete pour to follow.
Fabrication of bridge machinery is nearing completion with installation to begin this month.
The next construction items will include continuing with installation of lift span steel components, installing bridge machinery, fabrication of the new bridge hydraulic system, restoration of the bridge house and planter brick work, as well as completion of the east approach span concrete deck.
Project Update: May 8, 2013
The Pleasant Street Bridge project remains on schedule for completion by August 2013. Since the update in April 2013, the east concrete roadway approach deck has been poured, lift span roadway grating and bridge machinery are being installed. Containment is also being constructed under the west roadway approach deck for upcoming sandblasting and painting of the fixed span steel.
Final approvals and fabrication of the bridge hydraulic system are underway, with installation to begin late in May or early June. Other upcoming construction items include continuing with lift span grating and bridge machinery, sandblasting and painting of fixed span steel, pouring of the east deck sidewalks, and restoration of the bridge house and planter brick work.
View from the new east approach deck in the background. Worker assisting with installation of new dock fenders along the river.
View shows the lift span with touch-up paint spots, and a worker installing grating on top of the deck.
Project Update: June 14, 2013
The rehabilitation of the Pleasant Street Bridge remains on schedule for completion by August 2013. Since the May update, the lift span grating is nearing completion, with the bike lane plates to follow. New handrails and traffic gate arms are being installed, and restoration of the bridge house and planter brick work is under way.
The painters are continuing with containment construction under the west roadway approach deck for sandblasting and painting of the fixed span steel.
Bridge machinery and the new hydraulic system have been installed, and the lift span has been lowered to align the new roadway joints. The bridge will be raised again to pour the remaining concrete decks later this month. Other upcoming work will include aligning and balancing the bridge machinery, making repairs to fixed span bridge bearings, painting, bridge house restoration, and roadway paving.
New handrail overlooking the lowered bridge deck
The bridge lift span lowered to align the roadway sidewalk joints
Thanks to Bill Frasch, P.E., Project Manager
Final Update: July 24, 2013
Final testing of the machinery and hydraulic system for the Pleasant Street bridge is underway. New handrails and traffic gate arms have been installed, the bridge house has been fully restored, and repairs have been made to the roadway.
It is anticipated that the bridge will be open to the public by the end of the week, ahead of schedule. Thanks to all for your continued patience and cooperation during this bridge construction project. The rehabilitated bridge will continue to be a valuable asset serving the community for many years.
For more information, or if you wish to be added to the project email list, please call or send an email to:
Liaison: Cecilia Gilbert
Telephone: 414-286-3318
[email protected]
Protective covering has been removed - the painting has been completed
Crane lifting a new structural steel floor beam
Pleasant Street Bridge lift span is shored in the raised position, encapsulated with a
temporary painting enclosure
Painting machinery for sandblasting, waste collection, and heating of the temporary
enclosure is shown in this picture
Concrete approach deck fully removed on the west side of bridge
Crew members preparing steel girders for new concrete deck
Lift span superstructure with temporary supports and bracing
Workers continue to remove deteriorated structural steel from lift span
Pleasant Street Bridge - before photo
Sample detour sign