Projects

McGilvray "Seven Bridges" Road

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Projects Over the Years

Friends Board Making a Difference Projects Announcements

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) funds for managing the trail and Van Loon Wildlife Area are limited. For this reason, monies and labor contributed by the Friends of McGilvray Road (FMR) have been critical in completing many projects related to keeping the bridges safe and the trail usable.

The cost of the trailhead kiosk installed in 2016 was shared equally between DNR and FMR. The projects to lower sections of the trail to reduce flood damage are also shared projects, with FMR clearing the trees and brush, and DNR hiring a contractor to do the earthwork. FMR repaired the failing abutment wall on bridge #2, and DNR repaired the undermined abutment walls on bridge 5. On several of these projects the DNR was able to get approval of funding from competitive sources for work on McGilvray Road in part because FMR was providing matching funds and labor. That allows FMR funds to be leveraged to get even more work done!

FMR provides the equipment and labor for mowing the trail, clearing fallen trees, and for repairing the frequent washouts. FMR purchased and installed new steel splice plates to replace the badly corroded plates on all the Horton bowstring truss bridges. FMR has provided all the materials and labor for replacing decking on the bridges. Your support of FMR helps keep McGilvray Road and the historic bridges open as the key access into the beautiful Van Loon Wildlife Area.

Trail and Bridge Maintenance

Your donation and membership dues at work

2020 - Replacing Rusted Bridge Supports

A couple of years ago, we discovered that some of the major bridge deck supports had rusted to the point that holes had appeared. Work started on Thursday, Dec. 3, and was completed on Tuesday Dec 15. The deck was removed and all of the supports were replaced.

The work was done by 3 FMR volunteers: Pat Caffrey, Roger Ziegler, and John Papenfuss. The thousands of dollars needed for materials were funded by the Friends of McGilvray Road from donations by organizations, individuals and the Town of Holland. Thanks to all members and donors who have made it possible for us to keep these historic, 100+ year old bridges safe and thereby keep the McGilvray trail open to all. Great work guys!!

After 100+ years, the steel bridge supports are deteriorating.

Pulling steel support beams from under the deck.

Almost ready for new steel beams.

Steel bridge supports installed along with wood toppers.

Two of the bridge reconstruction volunteers. Note steel beams.

Lots of support and decking lumber to be installed.

2018 - Dead Tree Removal

On Dec. 18, 2018 a work party brought down dead trees next to the beginning of the trail. The group included Anna Jahns and another fellow from WDNR; Butch Kleinsmith, Mike Howe, Pat Caffrey from the Friends of McGilvray Road.

2017 - Ford Construction

In order to maintain the bridges, occasionally heavy equipment is needed. To this point, the 1000 pound load limit for the bridges has prevented this. Therefore, in August, the DNR and the Friends undertook the construction of a ford on the south side of Bridge One.

Once the ford was complete, it was possible for equipment to get to this section of the trail. Prior to that, Pat Caffrey had been busy cutting down trees along the trail, and stacking the wood. After the ford was in, the cut logs were removed in preparation for the trail lowering equipment to begin that phase of the work.

Lowering of the Trail between Bridges 3 and 4

Why is the trail being lowered?

Years ago, material from the wetland was dredged up and piled between the bridges to create a road that was passable when the surrounding area flooded. Engineers have determined that the road acts as a very large dam and any flood waters are concentrated in the areas under the bridges. Subsequently, the high, swift moving water during floods causes scouring of the bridge abutments and carries floating debris against the bridges. Flood waters also made large scour holes and washouts in the areas of the road where the water spills over.

In the past the required repairs occurred frequently enough to make the bridges and road too expensive to maintain. This is why McGilvray Road was abandoned as a publicly maintained road and replaced with the present Hwy 35. The present road lowering projects being undertaken by the WDNR and the FMR are designed to allow flood waters to flow over the trail at the lowered locations to reduce damage and preserve the bridges and trails.

The section between Bridges 3 and 4 contained an old culvert which has caused numerous problems over the years. Often when the water in the marsh was high, the trail was washed away around the culvert making that area very difficult to get through and necessitating frequent repairs. As part of the trail lowering work, this culvert was removed and the area around where the culvert had been was filled in to a level even with that section of the lowered trail.

See the Trail Lowering information below for more pictures of the process.

2016 - Bridge Repair

This summer, our super maintenance volunteer, Pat Caffrey, noticed that parts of the bridges were rusting away. In September, he replaced all 32 of the splice plates on the Horton Bridges. Great work Pat!