urbanMSP

According to the Met Council's Draft Transportation Improvement Plan, rehabilitation of the 5th St SE Pedestriver 35W is fully funded and will occur in 2018: http://metrocouncil.org/METC/files/a1/a ... 09670d.pdf (page A-33)

Huh. I wonder how much bridge $1.3 million buys? Is that enough for a full rebuild, with enough space for a footpath and two-way bike path? Hope so.

I had heard that the neighborhood really wants the bridge replaced, or at least more significantly reconstructed. I'm not sure what the status on that effort is. That would certainly require city money on top of the $1.3MM MNDOT money.

On one hand, MNDOT is proposing to do repair/rehab the existing bridge without any local contribution, so in the short term that seems okay.

On the other hand, this is probably a once in a generation chance to replace the bridge with something more fitting considering the heavy use it gets. How much local money would be necessary to come up with something more appropriate? What's the going rate for a new bridge here? I'm guessing it starts at > $3MM

My personal opinion is that the city should shift the CLIC money programmed for the 40th St bike/ped overpass to a full replacement of the 5th St SE bike/ped bridge. MNDOT can make the minimal necessary repairs to the 40th St overpass during the upcoming 35W Transit-Access project. Considering the very low usage (shockingly low) that the 40th St overpass gets, it should not be in line for an infusion of city money, as is currently planned for 2019 or 2020 through CLIC.

Considering the relatively narrow ROW I'm surprised no one has proposed a freeway cap.

^ Someone did http://www.mndaily.com/opinion/columns/ ... state-lids

Given 5th being a bike boulevard and the stream of pedalers crossing and weaving around peds to get to the U, a wider bridge is a no brainer.

At the June MHNA Board meeting they talked about the funding; they were nervous it wouldn't be enough to get the bridge they're dreaming of. The Creative Place Committee is working on strategies to beautify it.

This project is going forward in 2019 I believe. Details including alignment (which is interesting due to ramp slopes for ADA compliance) are in link below, though I've seen more up to date visuals (secondhand from someone who snapped pictures at the July 13 Visual Quality open house) that haven't been uploaded to the project website. This will be a nice improvement to the existing infrastructure, especially lighting improvements
https://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/proje ... index.html

This weekend they placed the new bridge and demolished the old. It surprises me that it will take a few more months to be open.

It's already vandalized with prominent graffiti.

It's already vandalized with prominent graffiti.

Saw that yesterday morning. It was removed by yesterday afternoon, however.