The city of Minneapolis has been awarded $34.3 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration to rehabilitate the historic Nicollet Ave. bridge over Minnehaha Creek. The BIP (bridge investment program) money will allow the city to replace and fix structural elements of the bridge and roadway.
Over the next several months, the city will finalize plans and complete state and federal project reviews. The bridge will be closed during construction, which is scheduled to begin in 2026. Crews will repair cracks, arches and other concrete deterioration, and the floor beams, deck, railings, drainage system, sidewalks and lighting will all be replaced. After construction wraps in 2028, the bridge will have six-foot protected bike lanes, eight-foot pedestrian sidewalks and two 11-foot traffic lanes.
The bridge, built in 1923 with the last significant repairs in 1973, is the fourth and final large, open, concrete arched bridges designed and built by the city between 1914 and 1929. The first three – Franklin Ave., 10th Ave. and 3rd Ave. over the Mississippi River – have been rehabilitated.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $55.2 million. The remaining $20.9 million is expected to come from a mix of state and local funds. BIP grants are awarded to municipalities to repair existing bridges that are considered in poor or fair condition. The National Bridge Inventory (NBI) gives the Nicollet Ave. bridge a 4 rating, which means it is in “poor” condition.
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