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BNSF Bad Axe River Bridge

Girder and Concrete Slab Bridge over Bad Axe River
Genoa, Vernon County, Wisconsin

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Name BNSF Bad Axe River Bridge
Built By Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad
Contractor Unknown
Currently Owned By BNSF Railway
Length 530 Feet Total, 60 Foot Main Spans
Width 2 Tracks
Height Above Ground 15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Deck Plate Girder and Concrete Slab
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1913, Partially Replaced 2017
Traffic Count 40 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
BNSF Bridge Number 276.98
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date December 2016


This standard Deck Girder and Concrete Slab bridge crosses the Bad Axe River south of Genoa.
Built in 1913, the bridge consists of a trio of deck girder spans, concrete approach spans on both sides, for a total of 23 spans. The entire bridge rests on concrete substructures. Some of the approach spans have been replaced recently.
This type of bridge is very common on mainlines of railroads. Overall, the bridge appears to be in poor condition. Some of the substructures appear to be sinking in the marshy and sandy soil in the area, and serious defects have been noted in the corners of the concrete slab spans.
At the time of documentation in December of 2016, concrete slab spans were stacked to replace the current approaches. It is believed the work was completed in 2017, although satellite imagery does not show this as of August 2018.

The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common type.
The photo above is an overview. The bridge can be accessed from public access road.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Based on double tracking of line
Contractor Unknown missing plaque
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele