Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
REPAIRS HAVE been made to the railroad bridge that crosses the Ontonagon River near Ontonagon. Future use as a recreational trail route is in the works.
ONTONAGON - Work on a railroad bridge near Ontonagon was modified to support a multi-use recreational trail in the future.
According to Janet Miesbauer, of MI-TRALE, heavy equipment was moved to the bridge the last few weeks in December by Norman Pestka Construction.
The company was contacted by MI-TRALE to replace the ice shield on the east support pier.
The project was funded by off-road vehicle license receipts through a Department of Natural Resources grant program.
Miesbauer said OHM Engineering from Hancock provided engineering services. Donald Helsel, president of MI-TRALE, said, "The timing was critical to have this new ice shield in place this winter, as the old ice shield was destroyed last year. The protective timbers had received major ice damage in the past and it was questionable if the main supports would make it through this winter."
MI-TRALE thanked the companies, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, the Army Corps of Engineers and the DNR for cooperating in the project.
In addition to supporting a multi-use recreational route in the future, the bridge will serve as a connector to Ontonagon from the south.
Helsel said, "This bridge is a critical element in the development of all recreational activities on each side of the river. It was very important to protect this asset."
He said Mi-TRALE looks forward to being part of developing the prior rail corridor into a full multi-use recreational system as an economic catalyst for Ontonagon and Rockland.
