The iconic Stone Arch Bridge in downtown Minneapolis is set to reopen - and ahead of schedule on August 9.
Crews have been making repairs to the mortar of the bridge which was originally planned and built between 1881 and 1883. It's been closed since last December, allowing bikers and pedestrians to utilize just half of the span at a time.
The construction began in the spring of 2024 and was expected to take a year-and-a-half. Originally built as a railroad bridge, the work is meant to help preserve the bridge for the future and improve the structural condition of the bridge. The project was expected to cost around $38 million.
"The renovation projects going extremely well," says MnDOTpokesperson Kevin Walker. "he stones have been matching into place, which they thought they may have some issues with, getting them completely right. So that's been going well. It's been like a well oiled machine."
And this will occur just in time for a lucky couple.
"Just spoke to a bride this morning," says Walker. "Shet me an email s I called her today and her wedding is going to be at the Mill City on Saturday that day, and she's just thrilled. So, she screamed and I'm like, oh my gosh I can finally deliver some really good news."
But until August 9, the bridge can only partially be accessed from the St. Anthony Main side of the river according to Walker.
"We have a lot of planning to do in such a short period of time because it just moved up so quick on us," explains Walker. "MnDOT does not want to let that bridge sit there if it can be opened. We planned on having a few food trucks come, live entertainment, obviously, interactive activities for kids of all ages, and then we'll have some fun historical facts."
The Stone Arch is the only arched bridge made of stone on the entire Mississippi River. It is the second oldest bridge on the river next to Eads Bridge in St. Louis. The bridge was built to connect the railway system to what was the new Union Depot downtown, which at that time was planned to be built between Hennepin Avenue and Nicollet Avenue.
It was commissioned by St. Paul's "railroad baron" James J. Hill to carry freight and passengers to and from Minneapolis on his St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba Railway.
The bridge's engineer, Charles C. Smith, designed the bridge with that iconic and unique curve due to the site's physical restrictions, which included pre-existing buildings, St. Anthony Falls, and the fragile stone underlying the area - part of the reason the bridge still needed repairs over the last year.
Achieving the curve as designed required twenty-three arches varying in size from forty to 100 feet wide. The bridge stretched 2,100 feet long and twenty-eight feet wide—enough width for two tracks to run side by side.
The work on the bridge originally had it shut down until fall. The Minnesota Department of Transportation now says the work will be finished in time for a reopening celebration on Saturday, August 9.
That celebration will include food trucks and ribbon cutting ceremony. MnDOT says more details on the celebration will be released later.
