St. Paul's Kellogg-Third Street I-94 crossing to close for three years as bridge is removed, replaced

St. Paul will close its Kellogg-Third Street crossing bridge, which spans Interstate 94 and connects downtown to the East Side, for three years beginning this month to remove and replace it, the city announced Friday.

The bridge's closure between Broadway Street and Mounds Boulevard will begin July 29, the city said in a news release.

The new bridge will have two lanes of traffic in each direction, plus a bike/pedestrian trail on each side separated by a concrete barrier. The new design will have improved safety and accessibility features for pedestrians, vehicles and bus rapid transit, the city said. Its piers and railings will be artist-designed.

Traffic delays are expected and bridge traffic will be detoured to East Seventh Street, the city said, adding that access to Lowertown will remain in place.

The news release called the $91 million replacement of St. Paul's longest city-owned bridge its most complex public infrastructure project since 1995. In addition to spanning I-94, multiple roads and the railroad, the bridge is located on Wakan Tipi, a sacred Dakota site. The project is funded by state bonding dollars, federal regional solicitation grants and local funding.

A structural analysis in 2014 caused the city to reduce traffic lanes on the bridge, finding the need to remove traffic from the outer bridge deck.