Stone Arch Bridge renovation project prep work to start Monday
MINNEAPOLIS — One of Minnesota's most iconic bridges will undergo a major renovation starting this spring, but crews have some prep work to do this winter.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation says the 140-year-old Stone Arch Bridge, which spans the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis, needs to have all of its mortar replaced, and several of its stones either replaced or repaired, as well as other adjustments.
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That work will begin in the spring, but starting Monday, crews will first need to measure the stones marked for replacement.
The 2,100-foot-long bridge will remain open during the process, which will run through the first week of February, but pedestrians and bikers are asked to use caution and follow all directions and signs while MnDOT's inspection truck is on site.
The major renovation work is scheduled to last through the spring of 2026, but the bridge will never be fully shut down. Half of the bridge will be open during the summer of 2025, and the other half the next summer. People will be able to go to the midpoint and back.
The bridge hasn't undergone repairs since the mid-90s. MnDOT estimates the project's total cost at about $26 million.
According to Minnesota historian Larry Millett, it's the only bridge of its kind spanning the Mississippi, and the second-oldest one spanning it.
Officially named the James J. Hill Stone Arch Bridge, it opened in 1883 and served as a railroad bridge until the late 1970s, according to the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB).
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Burlington Northern tried to sell the bridge to Minneapolis in 1980 for $1, but the city wasn't interested due to the scare of big maintenance costs.
Hennepin County eventually bought it nine years later for $1,001, and the state took over ownership in the early 90s, with plans for its use in light rail transportation.
Instead, it was converted into a pedestrian bridge with a $2 million federal grant.
While MnDOT owns the bridge, MPRB is in charge of maintaining its deck.
NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is Sept. 11, 2023.
