Signs of progress on the St. Croix bridge
(Photo courtesy of MnDOT)
For those who've been wondering about the exact location of the new St. Croix River bridge, you're in luck. The state Department of Transportation has installed new signs on the Minnesota and Wisconsin sides of the St. Croix River indicating where the most expensive bridge project in state history, will go.
MnDOT has been load testing the soil near the site for the bridge approaches. Crews are collecting data on how much weight the ground in that location can withstand. The tests are expected to be completed sometime next year.
The prep work is another step toward completing the $580-$676 million project spanning Oak Park Heights, Minn. and St. Joseph, Wis. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2013 and take approximately three years to complete. The new bridge is intended to replace the outdated Stillwater Lift Bridge.
The lift bridge reopens Friday by 5pm after being closed for repairs since Sept. 10 as part of the Stillwater Lift Bridge Rehabilitation project. The project itself began July 9 and was expected to be complete by Dec. 14.
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