3433 Oakwood Hills Pkwy Eau Claire , WI 54701-7698
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A Look Back : A Devastating Flood and a Lonely Bridge
The image is striking : A 20-year-old bridge designed by Ayres sits alone among the devastation , its approaches washed away by a flood so severe that it redirected the meandering creek that used to run under it .
When 10 inches of rain caused the July 2016 flood in Saxon Harbor , Wisconsin , the harbor ’ s marina and campground were wiped out by the surging waters that carried boats , trees , and debris into Lake Superior .
The Iron County Highway Department hired Ayres to quickly design the replacement of the County Highway A bridge over Oronto Creek amid a complex flood recovery effort .
Ayres had designed the original bridge in 1995 . When the approaches washed out , including a 280-foot-long washout of the north approach , Oronto Creek was significantly realigned . Because of this , it was decided to replace the bridge on a new alignment so the harbor could be reconstructed with new flood protection measures to help prevent future flooding . The project was fast-tracked for 2018 completion . Construction began about nine months after Ayres was under contract to start the design , making for an extremely aggressive schedule .
In 2021 , local , state , and federal officials celebrated the harbor ’ s rebuilding with a grand opening .