The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is still waiting on bids that were requested earlier this month for the new Eagle Tower project in Fish Creek. Steve Strucely, business manager for Friends of Peninsula State Park, says the bids should be in by mid-August. The high costs associated with reconstructing Eagle Tower in Peninsula State Park delayed the beginning of the construction this summer when initial bids came in well above budget. Strucely hopes this time around the bids come closer to the planned budget.
The lowest bid for the project in the spring was at $3.6 million which was considerably higher than the $2.07 million that was originally budgeted for the tower. The design for the new 60-foot observation tower includes a handicap-accessible ramp that is about 850 feet long. The original Eagle Tower was dismantled in 2016 due to safety concerns caused by the deterioration of the wooden structure.