Stillwater Lift Bridge Rehab Project Starts July 9, Full Closure Sept. 10
The $3.4 million Stillwater Lift Bridge rehab project starts July 9 and will include repair of the historic bridge's steel, concrete, electrical and mechanical components, as well as, guardrail, curb and gutter replacement and painting.
The Stillwater Lift Bridge rehabilitation project is scheduled to start July 9.
Most of the work will be done on the water prior to the full closure beginning Sept. 10 and lasting through early-December.
The $3.4 million project will include the repair of the historic bridge's steel, concrete, electrical and mechanical components. It will also include guardrail, curb and gutter replacement and painting at repair locations.
"After July 9 boaters will notice that the navigation channel will be reduced by 10 feet at times in order for the crews to repair the lift span piers," Cara Chandler, a spokesperson for MnDOT said in an email to Patch. "Until Oct.15, boaters will not see many impacts. Starting Oct. 15 the lift span will not open from Sunday night to Saturday night for three weeks. The span will not open from then until the end of the project."
The Stillwater Lift Bridge rehabilitation project is needed to maintain a safe crossing and to preserve the bridge until it can be converted to a bike and pedestrian facility in 2017.
Related Content: Stillwater Lift Bridge Will Close for Four Months Starting in September
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MnDot Report Says Stillwater Lift Bridge is Safe, But Needs Repairs
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A Trip Back in Time: 80 Years Ago Today the Stillwater Lift Bridge Opened
MnDOT Restricts Heavy Loads on Stillwater Lift Bridge After Finding 'Significant Corrosion'
During an open house this winter, MnDOT officials said the project will impact both vehicle and boat traffic this fall.
Starting on Sept. 10, all traffic—including emergency vehicles—will be routed to the Interstate 94 Bridge at Hudson, said Paul Kivisto, the Metro Region Bridge Engineer with the Bridge Office of MnDOT.
During the 2005 repairs, the crews removed one of the spans so vessels on the river could pass through, but this time that won’t happen.
Check back for project updates as construction progresses and traffic impacts change.
Micheal Foley
6:07 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Traffic is going to suck in downtown Hudson while the bridge is closed. I talked to Hudson Public Works Director Tom Zeuli and he says the city is planning to increase the time of green lights for north-south traffic on Second Street (Highway 35) to help move traffic through town more quickly.
There's not much more they can do without resorting to extreme measures such as making First Street and Second Street one-way...
mainstreet
7:50 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Not only will traffic suck, but so will business. Happens every bridge closure. Business in Stillwater will pick up.
As far as the First and Second Street thing - I brought that up at a council meeting before. If Second Street were one way they could create a ton of diagonal parking that would help alleviate that problem in downtown.
Carbon Bigfuut
8:50 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
It's not worth re-striping the parking for 4 months, but I do agree that making 1st & 2nd one-way streets from Vine to Buckeye would help traffic flow.
mainstreet
10:04 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
I wasn't talking for 4 months, I was thinking permanently.
Shawn Hogendorf
11:12 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Thanks for that photo, Susan. I had to look twice. I wasn't here in 2005, did they put that span on a barge?
Micheal Foley
11:59 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Sweet photo. For real!
Susan
7:03 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012
I added a couple more from different angles. I remember walking down there the first time from the north, and it looked a little weird, as it seemed like the span had disappeared. I'm not sure what they had it sitting on.
Micheal, I feel for you (and others in Hudson) who will have to deal with "our" traffic, but I sure do look forward to the quiet here.
Carbon Bigfuut
1:46 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012
Yes, Shawn, the concrete decking was removed, and then the span was floated away on a barge.
Carbon Bigfuut
9:15 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012
Susan, you will get lots more of that quiet after the new bridge is built. Then downtown Stillwater may actually become a nice place to hang out.