MINNEAPOLIS — The sounds of construction will soon be gone from the Third Avenue Bridge and replaced for the first time since December 2020 with the sounds of traffic.
But some Minnesotans want to know: Why did the project take so long?
"We replaced the bridge deck. We replaced the columns down to the arches," said Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) project engineer Chris Hoberg, who has overseen the project since its planning stages.
The historic span over the Mississippi River, with its unique S-curve, was completely overhauled.
"Really touched every part of the bridge, and any deterioration we found, we addressed," Hoberg said. "Just a lot of work. Over 76 million pounds of concrete was removed from the bridge and replaced. And we're doing it in the midst of downtown Minneapolis and urban setting."
In addition, as crews began working on the 105-year-old bridge, Hoberg said they found unexpected things to fix, so the initial two-year project stretched nearly into three.
When you use it, you'll notice the bike lanes protected by a concrete barrier along with the pedestrian lanes.
"Really providing some additional protection for those non-motorized users," Hoberg said.
And crews took a good look at historic imagery and noticed decorative elements that they could bring back. They've incorporated that into the pillars and fence along the side.
"I think everything from the design to the aesthetics to the setting is what makes it historically significant," Hoberg said.
Nearly 20,000 cars use the bridge each day, so MnDOT thought the completion of this major project was grounds to celebrate.
The bridge reopens for use on Saturday and MNDOT is hosting an open house from 11 a.m to 2 p.m., with food trucks, music and even historic tours on the bridge.
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