bridge071007

Rally set for funding to reopen bridge for walking, biking

Star Tribune

Last update: July 9, 2007 - 11:59 AM

A rally in support of re-opening the old Cedar Avenue bridge for biking and walking in the Minnesota River valley will be held at noon July 14 on the Bloomington side of the river at the old bridge.

Rep. Ann Lenczewski, DFL-Bloomington, who hopes to include money to re-open the bridge in the state's 2008 bonding bill, has invited members of the Minnesota House Capital Investment Committee to attend the gathering.

Because the old bridge is the only crossing of the river bottoms for cyclists available in a 15-mile stretch, biking enthusiasts initially decked it with plywood and used it at their own risk. But in 2002 it was pronounced unsafe and closed. Since then the city of Bloomington has estimated that it would cost about $3.5 million to restore the bridge to safe use and about $1 million to tear it down.

--Laurie Blake