Kellogg Boulevard-Third Street Bridge

[Ottergoose]

The Pioneer Press is reporting that the Kellogg Blvd. Bridge will need significant repairs in order to address structural deficiencies; as a result, it will be getting reduced to a single lane in each direction, with a third for pedestrians/bicycles.

The city must now decide if they should simply repair the bridge for $8 million, or spend $30-40 million replace and/or upgrade it.

"Right now the bridge carries cars. It doesn't do a good job of carrying pedestrians or bicyclists... and it doesn't have anything for bus rapid transit, so it would really be remiss to, in my opinion, just spend $8 million to address part of the problem when you could... address all of them for today and in to the future."

It's of particular interest to me because the walking/cycling path on the south side offers an amazing view of the railroad tracks there along the bluffs - it's a popular spot for railfans to congregate and take photos, especially in the summer.

[Wedgeguy]

I would prefer that they replace the whole bridge with a deign that gets rid of more of the supports and uses a smaller footprint in the park area. Also making a pathway/stairs for bikers/hikers to get off of the bridge and down to the Bruce Vento park.

[Ottergoose]

I would prefer that they replace the whole bridge with a deign that gets rid of more of the supports and uses a smaller footprint in the park area. Also making a pathway/stairs for bikers/hikers to get off of the bridge and down to the Bruce Vento park.

Easy pedestrian access from the new railfan park at the northern end of SPUD's property and the overpass would also be fantastic; either option would be nice insofar as getting looped into the trail system goes.

[MNdible]

Somebody over on streets.mn wrote a good summary of the situation.

Only two issues:

1. Failed to note that the city play-acted their way through the whole thing very adeptly, pretending this was a surprise and acting like the idea of replacing the bridge just now occurred to them.

2. Pretended that spending money to improve the pedestrian realm on the bridge will make pedestrians walk on it. They won't. No matter how nice and wide you make the sidewalk, no matter how decorative you make it, it'll still be a horrible, god-forsaken, wind swept experience. Better to spend the money to make a pleasant route on the lowlands underneath the bridge.

[seanrichardryan]

Similar quotes... http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul ... page=1&c=y

[mattaudio]

http://finance-commerce.com/2015/05/fun ... -projects/
The only bridge project funded this year with federal dollars through the Transportation Advisory Board’s regional solicitation process is the Kellogg Boulevard-Third Street Bridge in St. Paul.

But the rest of the details are behind the highest paywall in town.

[Mikey]

If they're replacing it, hopefully someone is smart enough to plan for a connection with the "Kittson Extension" - make the exit ramp from US 52 into a T intersection with the option to go left up and around to East 7th, and right to Kellogg Blvd.

A future extension south over the rail wye to Warner Rd should be planned too.

[mattaudio]

I thought the future Kittson Extension option was lost due to cost-cutting measures associated with the Lafayette Bridge project. Looking at what was actually built, compared to the original plan that shows what you described, makes it hard to believe there will ever be a grid connection southward from West 7th St to Kellogg.

[Mikey]

I wouldn't be so sure. The exit that was built does some strange things - it gets noticeably wider at the "bottom" of the ramp before it turns north. Also, the north - south portion is definitely wide enough for two way traffic - I think it even is from East 7th to underneath I-94, with a turn around under the bridge.

The Kittson Extension was always labeled as a "future phase" or "ultimate build out" or whatever. For a while, they were going to leave the entire old ramp arrangement at the north end of the new bridge. My worry is the old plan showed Kittson continuing UNDER Kellogg on the way to Warner Rd