Traffic to be restricted to single lane on US 12/WIS 27 bridge

Crews from the Eau Claire County Highway Department are scheduled to install signs and barrier wall on Wednesday, December 17 to reduce traffic on the bridge carrying US 12/WIS 27 over Schoolhouse Creek just south of the village of Fairchild to a single lane of travel until repairs can be made to the 80-year-old structure in early 2026.

Work is expected to begin between 8 and 9 a.m. and take several hours to complete. During sign and barrier wall placement, motorists will encounter lane closures controlled by flagging.

In mid-November, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation lowered the gross vehicle limit on the structure to 20 tons, or 40,000 pounds, per lane because of the bridge’s age and condition.

Once the highway is reduced to a single travel lane on the bridge, the permitted gross vehicle weight will be 40 tons, or 80,000 pounds, and traffic on US 12/WIS 27 will be controlled by stops signs placed on both sides of the bridge.

The bridge – located northwest of the intersection of US 12/WIS 27 and US 10 in the Jackson County town of Cleveland – is tentatively scheduled for replacement in 2027.

Motorists are reminded that using handheld cell phones in Wisconsin work zones is illegal. Alerts and updates provided via these sites are not intended for use while driving. When driving, your focus should always be on driving.