Cedar Avenue Bridge (Minnesota River)

Cedar Avenue Bridge

A picture of the Cedar Avenue Bridge taken in early spring, 2006. This view is taken from the south end of the bridge looking northward.
Coordinates 44°49′38″N 93°13′53″W / 44.827340°N 93.231320°W / 44.827340; -93.231320Coordinates: 44°49′38″N 93°13′53″W / 44.827340°N 93.231320°W / 44.827340; -93.231320
Carries 6 lanes of MN 77
Crosses Minnesota River
Locale Bloomington, Minnesota - Eagan, Minnesota, U.S.
Maintained by Minnesota Department of Transportation
History
Opened 1979

The Cedar Avenue Bridge carries Minnesota State Highway 77 across the Minnesota River between the Minneapolis-St. Paul suburbs of Bloomington and Eagan, Minnesota. The two parallel crossings for northbound and southbound lanes are respectively 5,159 feet (1,572 m) and 5,185 feet (1,580 m) in length. It was built in 1979, superseding an older swing bridge by the same name that was composed of low-lying truss segments.

Old bridge

Long Meadow Bridge

The Long Meadow/Old Cedar Avenue Bridge in January 2014
Location Bloomington
Built 1920
NRHP Reference # 13000324
Added to NRHP 5/28/2013

The original Old Cedar Avenue Bridge was built in 1890. The bridge that stands now was built in 1920 and carried automobile traffic into the 1990s.[1] The narrow span continued operation as a bicycle trail until 2002 when it was deemed too unsafe. In 2008, $2 million in state funding was approved to reopen the bridge to bicyclists and pedestrians. Back when the old structure was the main crossing, heavy traffic delays would occur because of the bridge's small size and the need to operate the swing segment to let boat traffic pass. The modern bridge has three lanes in each direction, in addition to a shoulder which is often used by buses to get past traffic slowdowns.

At one time, the 10th Avenue Bridge, which crosses the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, was called the "Cedar Avenue Bridge".

See also

References

  1. ↑ Smetanka, Mary Jane (May 1, 2010). "Old Cedar Avenue Bridge getting renewed life". Minneapolis Star Tribune. Retrieved May 10, 2011.
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