Tanager Bridge to close starting Tuesday, September 7 as fall construction activities begin

Hennepin County, Minnesota sent this bulletin at 08/31/2021 04:29 PM CDT

Tanager Bridge (County Road 15) in Orono

Fall construction activities begin Tuesday

Shoreline Drive closing for 30 days

On Tuesday, September 7, crews plan to resume construction activities on the Tanager Bridge in Orono.

Crews completed most of the work on the new bridge earlier this summer. Construction then was paused to allow people to travel on Shoreline Drive and the Tanager Lake Channel during the peak summer months.

View of the new Tanager Bridge.

The remaining work will require us to close the bridge to complete the remaining tasks. There will also be periodic weekday closures of the channel. Barring any delays or weather, we anticipate the bridge being closed a maximum of 30 calendar days.

During the Shoreline Drive closure, crews will:

Remove the existing bridge  
Realign the road to the new bridge 
Install new curbs and gutters  
Pave and stripe the new road connections 
Improve erosion protections along the shoreline

Once we are done with this work, we will then reopen the road you will be able to enjoy travelling on the new bridge. Crews will remain on site to complete work for a few weeks, but any traffic impacts should be minimal.

Through traffic will need to use the signed detour

All through traffic on Shoreline Drive, including large and heavy commercial vehicles, will need to use the detour taking:

Highway 12
Wayzata Boulevard (County Road 112)
Watertown Road / 6th Avenue (County Road 6)
Shadywood Road / North Shore Drive (County Road 19)

Using these signed detours will keep you from experiencing additional delays and getting frustrated. And, it helps local streets stay safe for the individuals and families who live, work and play in the area.

People walking, biking and rolling will need to use other local routes as the bridge will be fully closed and the area will be an active construction site.

Tanager Lake Channel users can anticipate periodic weekday closures and impacts during bridge removal. Signs will be on-site to inform you of the closures.

Maintaining local access up to the bridge

While the bridge is closed, we will continue to provide access to help people get to the marinas, other businesses and homes near the construction area.