Minneapolis is in danger of losing access to the iconic pedestrian bridge that is a landmark not only to the city, but the entire state. Park board commissioners held an impromptu press conference right on the bridge at noon Friday, May 18. District 1 Commissioner Chris Meyer welcomed 100-plus people to the push for awareness to save Minneapolis’ most prominent bridge from closing. “It’s going to cost $13 million for repairs which has grown significantly since 2016 when it was just $2.5 million. As you can see, the cost has accelerated.
“The part underneath the water is in need of repairs. Which is dangerous for us; we are just down the river from the 35W bridge that collapsed. MNDOT takes safety very seriously and they have said if we don’t get funding for the bonding bill now, the risk of needing to close the bridge for safety reasons will increase.” There is a lot of uncertainty because of the costs just to inspect the bridge because it is underwater, and MNDOT is responsible for that section of the bridge.
Jono Cowgill, Commissioner of District 4, also addressed everyone who attended in support of the bridge. “2.1 million people visit the Stone Arch Bridge every year. It’s not just for this community and the state, we have visitors come from around the world. It’s a symbol of the power of the Mississippi River and the body of water that makes us as Minnesotans proud. The bridge brings international visitors from Barcelona to Bangkok, from Mumbai to the Middle East, when people from around the world come to Minnesota, they come here.”
Meyer added more detail on the reports that threaten the future of the Stone Arch Bridge. “There was a report issued from MNDOT after their last inspection that said the base problem is the mortar. When the mortar wears away, the stones begin to fall off, and it’s when the stones start to crumble that it gets pretty expensive [to repair]. The cost of the stone replacement has already doubled. There are a number of other issues that need to be repaired.”
Cyclist Dan Miller reflected on how much he appreciates the bridge. Miller grew up in Northeast Minneapolis and has lived here all his life. “I was here before you could even cross this bridge; that was 25-30 years ago. Then they opened up this bridge to connect Northeast to downtown and it was incredible. You want to show anyone the power of Minneapolis you bring them to the river and to the Stone Arch Bridge. I think closing this bridge would be such a loss, not just for Minneapolis but for the state. To close this bridge and put a barricade at each end of it would be terrible.”
Editor’s note: The Minnesota legislature passed an omnibus bonding bill that included funding for repair of the Stone Arch Bridge. At press time, it was on Gov. Mark Dayton’s desk.
Below: Cyclist Dan Miller, reflected on the loss he believes the city would experience if the Stone Arch Bridge were closed. Politicians held a press conference on May 18, below. (Photos by Nik Linde)
