The Superior National Forest, U.S. Forest Service, will soon replace the bridge on the 600 Road (Forest Road 166) that crosses the Temperance River near the Sawbill Trail in Tofte. This bridge, also known locally as the Pink Bridge, has been monitored by Superior National Forest engineers for years and in 2014 it was determined that the bridge was no longer safe for the passenger cars, logging trucks, and commercial vehicles that commonly drive the 600 Road.
According to Forest Service spokesperson Kristina Reichenbach, the current bridge crossing the Temperance River has put in a long life of service but has deteriorated over the years and does not meet current safety standards. This bridge was built with a truss section that was originally part of a State of Minnesota bridge built in 1913. After the state bridge was disassembled, the Forest Service obtained the used truss in 1935 and installed it in its current location along with a second concrete span to provide a crossing over the Temperance River. The Forest Service has progressively lowered the load limit for the bridge over the past couple years. Finally, in fall of 2014, the bridge was closed except to foot, snowmobile and ATV traffic.
The new bridge over the Temperance River will be constructed entirely of timber components fabricated in Minnesota and installed by a local contractor. The Forest Service has designed the new bridge with aesthetics in mind as well as safety. Wood parts will be treated and metal parts will be burnished to present a rustic, weathered design that fits with the surroundings. The cost of the new structure is $600,000.
When the U.S. Forest Service announced that the bridge was to be closed to vehicle traffic, it was reported that there were no funds to replace the bridge. The Cook County News-Herald asked Reichenbach where the funding to replace the bridge was coming from. Reichenbach replied, “Superior National Forest managers had annually requested funds to replace the bridge over the past few years and finally this year we were successful. This is part of the Forest Service continually prioritizing available funds.”
Demolition of the existing bridge and construction of the new bridge will begin in August or September. The Forest Service expects to open the new bridge over the Temperance River for traffic by the end of October 2015.
Leave a Reply