2022 Priority Project – Wisconsin River Bridge

Imagine being able to ride your bike from Madison all the way to Devil’s Lake State Park. The Wisconsin River Bridge project in Sauk City would make that vision a reality, providing access to trail corridors along south central Wisconsin’s most scenic landscapes by connecting the Great Sauk Trail with the Walking Iron Trail. 

As the name implies, the project involves building a bridge over the Wisconsin River – no small feat. Add in that the project bisects two counties – Dane and Sauk – and requires working alongside the owners of the now-demolished rail bridge, and it is clear to anyone near the project that it will be an uphill battle to move it forward.

And yet, headway is being made at (in government, infrastructure, and project terms) lightning speed. In 2021, Dane County and Sauk County both set aside $2 million from their respective budgets to put towards the project. Now, Bike Fed is working alongside the many project stakeholders to continue that momentum by attending project workgroup meetings throughout the spring, summer, and early fall of 2022. The workgroup has already released a RFP for the Design & Engineering of the Wisconsin River Bridge and hopes to be making decisions before the end of the year.

Bike Fed will be assisting the workgroup in finding funding sources that could help get the project the estimated $10 million it will need.