The Brief
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- It’s already construction season in Minnesota, with several projects either already underway or starting this week.
- The Nicollet Avenue bridge in south Minneapolis over Minnehaha Park closed in both directions on Monday for 18 months.
- The bridge is over 100 years old, and was last repaired in 1973.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The orange construction cones are back out across the Twin Cities metro, and several significant road projects start this week.
One of them involves a bridge closure in south Minneapolis that will remain in place until 2027.
Nicollet Avenue bridge construction
What we know:
The Nicollet Avenue bridge in south Minneapolis was shut down on Monday in both directions over Minnehaha Creek for 18 months. It is expected to reopen sometime in the winter of 2027.
The bridge is 100 years old, and needs repairs. The listed detour is Diamond Lake Road, Lyndale Avenue and 50th Street to get around the closure. Minnehaha Creek and Minnehaha Parkway are also closed to pedestrian and bike traffic.
Bridge repair details
The backstory:
The bridge was built in 1923 and repaired in 1973. Currently, the bridge is 63 feet wide and 816 feet long.
The repaired bridge will be a little more than 60 feet wide.
The bridge will have:
- 6-foot wide protected bike lanes
- 8-foot wide pedestrian sidewalks
- Two 11-foot traffic lanes
What’s next:
Other road projects this week include Highway 5 in Chanhassen and Victoria. In St. Paul, bridge work is ongoing at I-35E and Shepard Road through the fall of 2027. Interstate 494 will also close this weekend in both directions between I-35W and Highway 77.
