According to one of the local rags, the I35-E bridge over the Mississippi between St. Paul and Lilydale was a deficient bridge that was prioritized for replacement. When it was replaced, it gained a bike bridge.

I’m hoping that as the I35-W bridge is reconstructed, the same is considered there. While that section of the Minneapolis riverway is pretty decent for river crossings, having another if it can be done as part of an existing major project — much like the I35-E bridge project — would be nice.

When I look at the list of deficient bridges in Minnesota, once I get over being horrified by the Lafayette Bridge (US52) being on the list (over 1100 feet that I travel daily!), it’s one of the bridges I’d just love to see an additional bicycle link on. That section of the river, once you pass Robert Street, gets low on crossings for a while. More bridges would encourage more cycle commuting.

Note that the I494 bridge mentioned on the list is the Wakota Bridge, which is presently being ripped down. The new bridge built is a net gain of 0 lanes until the second new bridge is built, but the first of the new bridges does include a bicycle crossing that was sorely needed in that stretch. Given that the two most recent new river crossings have bicycle crossings, it’s a good sign for lanes on the new I35-W bridge and any other major bridges that get replaced under increased safety scrutiny!

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Author: julie

Julie Kosbab is an online marketing consultant and active transportation advocate living in Anoka County, Minnesota. She was one of Minnesota's only League of American Bicyclists Certified Instructors when certified in 2005. She is a past member of the National Bicycle Tour Directors Association. She has 2 children and 4 bicycles. Find her on Twitter as @betweenstations.