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Contact: Colin Cox, Transportation, 612-596-7426
The Franklin Avenue Bridge (County Road 5) will reopen to traffic on the evening of Thursday, September 1. The bridge has been closed since May so that crews could remove and replace the deck.
The restored bridge features a new driving surface for motorists, as well as dedicated and separated bicycle and pedestrian lanes on both sides of the bridge. The bridge also has vertically-oriented concrete rails, like the ones originally used on the bridge. Reproductions of historic lights have been added.
The bridge deck was constructed using the Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) method to reduce the duration of the traffic closure. More than 360 deck panels were constructed upstream at Bohemian Flats. This summer, the panels were floated down the Mississippi River and hoisted into place.
Other improvements to the bridge are needed to restore deteriorated areas of the bridge, prevent future degradation due to road salt and other exposure and to preserve the structural integrity and historical nature of the concrete arches. This work began last year and will continue after the deck reopens.
For the next few months, there will be intermittent lane closures for motorists. And bicyclists and pedestrians will only be able to use one side of the bridge at a time. These closures are needed as crews finish work, as well as remove temporary structures needed for the deck replacement and utility work.
For more information about the project, visit www.hennepin.us/franklinbridge.
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