Historic Minneapolis bridge spanning Minnehaha Creek gets $34 million in federal funds for overhaul

The historic Nicollet Avenue bridge spanning Minnehaha Creek and Minnehaha Parkway in south Minneapolis has received a $34.3 million grant from the federal government for an overhaul.

The money comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, which on Thursday announced some $635 million in grants to repair bridges throughout the country, part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The bridge, owned by the city of Minneapolis, was built in 1923 and last rehabbed more than 50 years ago. Designed by Norwegian engineer Kristoffer Olsen Oustad, it is eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a news release that the Nicollet Avenue bridge “has served our community for generations, and this funding will make sure it remains a vital connection for generations to come.”

City officials tried unsuccessfully to secure $17 million from the state for the project during the legislative session earlier this year.

According to an October 2023 city presentation on the bridge, water and salt migrated into its structural elements, “causing severe concrete deterioration, [which] is the main reason for the bridge rehabilitation.” Crews will repair cracks, arches and other concrete deterioration, and the floor beams, deck, railings, drainage system, sidewalks and lighting will be replaced.

The city said Thursday the overhaul would cost $55 million, with the remaining amount coming from state and local sources.

Plans call for the rehabbed bridge to have 6-foot wide protected bike lanes, 8-foot wide pedestrian sidewalks and two 11-foot wide traffic lanes. The bridge will be closed during construction, which is scheduled to begin in 2026 and finish two years later.

“The Nicollet Avenue bridge is in desperate need of repair and could have been closed completely by 2030 had it not been for this significant investment,” said City Operations Officer Margaret Anderson Kelliher.

All told, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has set aside $40 billion over five years to tackle a backlog of bridge projects nationwide.

“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, more than 11,000 bridges in communities across America are finally getting the repairs they’ve long needed with funding from our infrastructure law,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a news release. He said the bridge repairs ensure “people and goods can get where they need to go, safely and efficiently.”