Business & Tech
Stillwater Group Plans to Petition Coast Guard to Change Lift Bridge Schedule
The proposal, which will find its way to the City Council for discussion later this month, would temporarily change the number of lifts from 21 to 16 during the week. No changes would be made to the lift schedule on weekends or holidays.
In an attempt to alleviate traffic congestion in downtown Stillwater during construction of the new St. Croix River Crossing, the Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce—and members of its Downtown Revitalization Subcommittee of the Community Symposium—are proposing a temporary change to the Lift Bridge schedule.
The proposal, which will find its way to the City Council for discussion later this month, would change the number of lifts from 21 to 16 during the week.
The proposal does not request any changes to the lift schedule on weekends or holidays. The U.S. Coast Guard dictates the Stillwater Lift Bridge Schedule.
- City Group Wants Lift Bridge to Lift Less Often (Pioneer Press)
- Click here for more information about the Stillwater Lift Bridge and to view a PDF of the schedule.
Currently on weekdays, the Lift Bridge goes up:
- Every hour from 8-11 a.m.
- Every half hour from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
- Every 90 minutes from 2:30-5:30 p.m.
- Every hour on the half from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Every half hour from 6:30-10 p.m.
- Requires a 2-hour notice from 10 p.m.-8 a.m.
- Every hour from 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
- It would lift at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
- Every half hour from 7-10 p.m.
- Two-hour notice from 10:30 p.m.-8 a.m.
Under the proposal other protocols would remain in place, such as lifting when a boat is present, emergency vehicles and 24-hour advanced notices, etc.
The proposal requests a temporary change and would be revised when the St. Croix River Crossing Project is complete.
The last time the Coast Guard altered the Lift Bridge schedule was in 1994 to accommodate commuter traffic.
The process to amend the schedule is once a formal written request is received, the Coast Guard reviews it, holds public hearings and determines whether or not to make changes.
Before any changes are made, there will be public meetings, and plenty of opportunities for public comments.
“We will want to get input so everyone understands what is going on,” Stillwater Mayor Ken Harycki said. “Right now there are all sorts of rumors whirling around downtown. I’d be interested in seeing a side-by-side comparison and getting feedback from downtown businesses and marina owners.”
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