Plans to raise Lake Wissota rail bridge fall through

Nov. 16—CHIPPEWA FALLS — A plan to raise the CN Railroad bridge on Lake Wissota is now off the tracks.

Lafayette Town Chairman Dave Staber said a contract signed a few years ago with CN Railroad called for raising the bridge by 18 inches, at a cost of $286,000. On a typical summer day, there is about 30 inches of space between the lake level and the CN Railroad bridge. Most boats can't clear that gap underneath the bridge, but the additional 18 inches would have allowed far more boats to go below it, connecting the big and little lakes.

kAmuF?5C2:D6CD @G6C E96 A2DE E9C66 J62CD 925 8@EE6? E96 8C@FA 4=@D6 E@ E96:C 8@2=j $E236C D2:5 E96J ?@H 925 4@==64E65 Saed[___ E@H2C5 E96 AC@;64E] w6 4@?E24E65 r} #2:=C@25 E@ D66 H96? E96 AC@;64E 4@F=5 368:?]k^Am

kAm"%96J 8@E 324E@ >6 2?5 D2:5 E96 AC:46 :D ?@H Sd_g[___[" $E236C D2:5]k^Am

kAm$E236C D2:5 96 4@?E24E65 2== E96 2C62 3FD:?6DD6D[ :?4=F5:?8 E2G6C?D[ H9@ 925 AFD965 7@C E96 AC@;64E] %96J 2== 28C665 E92E E96 4@DE H2D ?@H E@@ 9:89]k^Am

kAm"%96C6 H2D ?@ H2J H6 H6C6 8@:?8 E@ 86E E92E >F49 >@C6 >@?6J[" $E236C D2:5] "x'G6 G6CJ 7CFDEC2E65 H:E9 WE96 C2:=C@25]X x D9@F=5 92G6 =62C?65 >J =6DD@? H:E9 E96>[ H96? :E E@@'_ J62CD E@ 86E 2 4C@DD:?8 2E #2J'D q6249]"k^Am

kAm#@3 qC@H?[ @H?6C @7 %96 ':6H E2G6C?[ H9:49 :D @? E96 D>2== =2@?6J E@ E96 AC@;64E] s@?@CD H:== 36 @776C65 E96 @AE:@? E@ :?DE625 8:G6 E96:C >@?6J E@ E96 {2AC@G6>6?E pDD@4:2E:@?[ E96 {272J6EE6 #64C62E:@? !C@8C2>[ @C 92G6 E96:C >@?6J C6EFC?65 E@ E96>] !6@A=6 H:== 92G6 F?E:= u63CF2CJ E@ 7:== @FE E96 A2A6CH@C H@F=5 2==@H E96> E@ C6A=246 A=2J8C@F?5 6BF:A>6?E 2?5 255 A:4:=6 @C D@ @7 C2:= EC24:? 6249 5:C64E:@? 2?5 C2:D:?8 :E FA D=:89E=J E@ >2@?6J @C D6EE:?8 FA E96 244@F?E] r} #2:=C@25 925 H2?E65 2 8@G6C?>6?E 6?E:EJ :?G@=G65 :? E96 AC@;64E]k^Am