Community Corner

Breaking: Stillwater Lift Bridge is Stuck after Cable Snaps Sunday Night

The bridge can't be raised after the mishap, which happened as the bridge was being lowered Sunday night. Weather, which was severe Sunday evening, was not a factor.

UPDATE (3 p.m., June 17): The Minnesota Department of Transportation tells media outlets "big boat" traffic will be limited for one week due to the bridge failure. 

Here's the official MnDOT release: 

Boaters and other water traffic on the St. Croix River will experience delays as crews replace an operating cable at the Stillwater Lift Bridge. Motor vehicle traffic on the bridge will not be affected.

A bridge operator detected a frayed cable on the lift system of the bridge during the 8:30 p.m. lift on Sunday, June 16. As a precaution, the normal lift schedule was suspended and the lift span will remain in the down position until the repair is complete.

Find out what's happening in Stillwaterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

MnDOT is currently seeking a replacement cable for the bridge.  When the cable is acquired, it will take approximately a week to install, weather permitting.

Water traffic taller than 6 feet will not be able to cross beneath the bridge until the lift span is operational.

Find out what's happening in Stillwaterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Again, the broken cable has no impact on the bridge's stability when it comes to road traffic, just to the bridge's capability to be raised or lowered. 

Repairs on the cable began with an examination of the site today. 

* * * 
The Minnesota Department of Transportation reports Sunday night a cable on the Stillwater Lift Bridge broke Sunday night, leaving the bridge fixed in the lowered position. 

As a result, boat traffic on the St. Croix River will be impacted, as larger boats won't be able to make through the waterway until a repair is made. 

The break happened Sunday around 8 p.m., MnDOT reported. 

Vehicle traffic across the bridge, via Minnesota Highway 36, will not be impacted. The cable did not support the bridge structure itself, only the up/down operation of the famous lift bridge. 

More information on this story as it develops. 


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