Bridge over Minnehaha Creek removed for repairs

Bridge near 36th Avenue S will be repaired and placed on new footings this summer

The bridge was removed in three sections, two 11.5-foot bridge approaches (one seen being craned away here) and a 34-foot center span

The pedestrian bridge over Minnehaha Creek near 36th Avenue S was removed for repairs yesterday, March 9, 2023. New foundations will be installed this spring while the bridge is moved offsite, where it will receive a new timber deck and paint.

The bridge will return this summer. In the meantime, a pedestrian detour is in place, please follow the onsite signs. People can cross the creek on 34th Avenue S or the pedestrian bridge near 32nd Avenue S.

Project Background

This bridge is a steel deck arch bridge spanning Minnehaha Creek near 36th Avenue South and Crosby Place. It was constructed in 1929. Over time, concrete thrust blocks supporting the bridge piers and one of the bridge abutment walls shifted, which caused the bridge to rotate and push upward.

This project will straighten the bridge and stabilize its foundations. To do that, helical piers will be drilled into the soil and encapsulated by a concrete collar. The actual bridge structure will be straightened, receive new decking and paint, then it will be reinstalled on the new bridge piers.

The project design was reviewed by the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), which agreed with the assessment that the bridge is considered a historic property eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. SHPO also determined the proposed rehabilitation design is consistent with Secretary of Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, and that planned work will have no adverse effect.

Visit the Minnehaha Creek Bridge Repair project page for more information and sign up for email updates to stay informed on the project’s progress.