GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Drivers and pedestrians are asked to avoid a downtown Green Bay bridge due to a mechanical issue.
The Mason Street Bridge in Green Bay is stuck open, and it has been since around 6:00pm Tuesday night. Brown County Public Works Director Paul Fontecchio says the bridge has suffered a major failure in the main gear on the east side of the bridge.
“One of the main supports for a bearing on the bridge became dislodged and the bolts sheared off,” said WisDOT Bridge Engineer Brady Rades. “So what happened is the gears that drive the movable span became dislodged from each other.”
Rades says they aren’t sure why it happened and that the bridge has never suffered a similar failure. Figuring out why the bridge failed is the next step in the DOT’s investigation, and officials say repairs cannot be attempted until the investigation concludes. There is no timeline for when the bridge will reopen.
Police suggest using the Walnut Street, Main Street, Leo Frigo and Highway 172 bridges if needing to cross the river.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation plans to update the media on the situation with the bridge and plans going forward. Friday afternoon they said one of the spans has been secured. A ship, the SS Alpena, passed under the span Wednesday afternoon.
WTAQ’s Rob Sussman contributed to this report.
