The Maple/Oregon Street Bridge in Sturgeon Bay was damaged Friday morning when the barge, Texas, collided with the span shortly before 9AM. An eyewitness on the Michigan Street Bridge saw the barge
pass through the downtown bridge and slowly strike the
Maple/Oregon Street Bridge which had not opened. Initial reports indicate that a hand railing crumpled and the center area of the bridge built in 2008 showed damage to its concrete deck. We’re told the barge backed away from the bridge and tugs worked to put it in a mooring area. No word as to what might have caused the accident. A crew from the Department of Transportation in Green Bay is expected to inspect the structure to do a damage assessment. In the meantime, traffic is moving across the Maple/Oregon Street Bridge, but it remains to be seen if the span can open and closed as before. Motorists may want to use the Michigan Street or Bayview Bridges to get from one side of Sturgeon Bay to the other for the time being.
