Franklin Avenue Bridge Reconditioning Update

Photo credit: Bill Klotz

Via the Hennepin County Website:

Reconditioning of the Franklin Ave Bridge (County Road 5) over West River Parkway and the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.

The Franklin Avenue Bridge spans West River Parkway and the Mississippi River. This historic structure will be rehabilitated over the next two construction seasons.

The new bridge deck will incorporate safe, modern, multi-modal features such as separated on-road bicycle facilities, protected pedestrian walkways, overlook nooks, and architectural lighting.

The "below deck" concrete rehabilitation is anticipated to begin in April 2015. The bridge will be open during the 2015 construction season.

For travelers using West River Parkway and the easterly river edge trail under the Franklin Avenue Bridge, there may be some travel impacts as they complete the overhead concrete rehabilitation.

In 2015 the contractor will manufacture "precast" bridge deck panels that will be placed during the 2016 bridge closure. These panels will be made at a site, adjacent to the river, just south of the Washington Avenue Bridge. This will allow use of river transportation to float these panels down the river, and these segments will then be hoisted by water borne cranes into their final positions.

Deck removal and replacement will occur during the 2016 construction season with the goal of reopening the bridge in September 2016.

Hennepin County has established detour signing plans using alternative routes for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists during the bridge deck replacement phase. The alternative routes will be well communicated in Spring 2016.

Project layout and cross section (PDF) 

Update on Friday, April 10, 2015 at 3:33PM by Kim Eslinger

Work will begin on the Franklin Avenue bridge starting Monday, April 13, 2015 with bike lane and sidewalk closures. Pedestrians and bicyclists will still be able to cross the bridge.

Permit surveyors will be taking measurements with a snooper truck underneath the bridge deck. The snooper needs access to the outside edges of the bridge to do the work.

Bike lanes and sidewalk will be closed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The eastbound bike lanes and sidewalks will be closed the first half of the week, and the westbound the latter half of the week.

Pedestrians can cross the bridge on the sidewalk that is open. A signed detour will be provided.
Bicyclists  should use road lanes during this closure.

Drivers should pay extra attention for redirected bicyclist and pedestrians in the area during this closure. Share the road signs will be posted on the bridge.

Vehicle traffic will be maintained in both directions during this work.