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Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Polk County, Wisc. crews and a bridge engineering consultant were on hand Monday this week installing two sensors which will help monitor strain on the #243 Wisc-Minn bridge, over the St. Croix River, at Osceola.

Daniel Harrington, regional bridge specialist for Wisc. DOT, out of Superior, said the sensors will be in place for 12 to 14 weeks. There's a solar unit hardwired to the sensors for power.

Bridge traffic was restricted to one-lane early this week as the equipment was placed. The devices were calibrated as Wisc. DOT sent trucks across the bridge with known weights to set the sensors. The sensors measure live strain on the bridge's two main load bearing members, they are information gathering devices only.

The County Road 243 bridge that connects Chisago County with Polk County is of similar design to the 35W bridge that collapsed this summer. Inspections done immediately after the collapse showed the Osceola bridge was in good condition. Wisconsin DOT is installing sensors on approximately 14 similar deck-truss design structures throughout Wisconsin.

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