Bicycle Bridge, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin (original) (raw)

This is an example of a very early cable stayed regional trail overpass. It is located on the US-41 and US-45 freeway multiplex just north of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the city of Menomonee Falls. I have been able to find very little information on this structure. The Wi-DOT Bridge Manual says that this is the first cable stayed pedestrian overpass in the United States, and may be the first modern cable stayed bridge in the nation.

Update—this bridge underwent extensive maintenance in the fall of 2012. The work included replacing the fencing and repainting the structure to a more earthen brown tone. As this was written, it was expected that it would reopen to pedestrians during the first week of November, 2012.

A comment to an on-line newspaper article about the bridge project suggested that the bridge was built after a child was struck by a car and killed crossing highway 45 on his way to St. Mary's school, located a few blocks south of the bridge site.

The photo above is looking northwest along Megal Drive, which parallels the northbound lanes of US-41 and US-45. The red roof in the background behind the south bridge tower is the Steinhafels furniture store. The photo below is looking north towards the south end of the bridge as seen from the sidewalk where Richfield Way turns south and becomes Water Street.

The photo above is looking northeast towards the west face of the pedestrian bridge with Richfield Way being in the foreground. The photo below is looking southwest into the afternoon sun towards the east face of the structure, with Megal Drive in the foreground.