One of the most popular recreation trails in northern Wisconsin became a little safer and “more direct” last week. Sawyer County, the Department of Natural Resources and people from Winter and Radisson cut the ribbon to officially open a new bridge over Kings Creek.
The event took place Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 2 p.m. at the site 3 miles east of Radisson, one week after construction on the bridge was completed. The 80’ by 14’ span replaced a badly deteriorating structure that was recently removed.
“This was one of those projects that had been on the books for seven years,” said Trail Manager-Ranger, Kathy Oginski. “We are happy we found the budget and got approvals to move forward.”
The span was built by Decker Contractors for $135,000 with funding coming from the Federal Recreational Trails program and the Wisconsin Stewardship account.
Trail users will no longer have to be diverted around a piece of private property. That “detour” took recreation users on a portion of Railroad Street, crossed King Creek over a non-conforming semi-trailer bed and around a farm field, then back to the trail off of Endicott Road. The bridge gives people a direct, scenic and safer route.
Oginski explained that before the trail was purchased by the state from the Omaha Railroad in the 1960’s, a parcel had been sold by the railroad to a private interest. In 2003 the state acquired the property and a direct link was reestablished to the trail, she said.
The 74-mile Tuscobia Trail is one of the longest rail trails in the state, running from Park Falls to the Wild Rivers State Trail just north of Rice Lake. The trail passes through part of the Flambeau River State Forest and the rugged wilderness of Wisconsin's Blue Hills. The trail connects seven small communities in Barron, Washburn, Sawyer and Price counties, each providing year-round accommodations and services.
The trail offers opportunities for ATVs, snowmobiling, horseback riding, off-road bicycling and walking. The western end of the trail is part of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
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