Finishing touches this week for I-35W bridge

David Brewster, Star Tribune

Work continued on the I-35W bridge Sunday afternoon with painting, electrical work and landscaping still in progress.

The bridge over the Mississippi River could be completed in a little more than a week. But when will it open?

By SARAH LEMAGIE, Star Tribune

Last update: September 8, 2008 - 8:35 AM

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Minnesota bridges rated: An interactive map of bridges that are "structurally deficient," "functionally obsolete" or have gusset plates like those on the I-35W bridge.

With the Republican National Convention over and done, Twin Cities residents are turning their attention from the big event that snarled traffic in St. Paul to one that will relieve it in Minneapolis.

No firm opening date has been set, but the Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River could be complete in a little more than a week, according to Flatiron Construction officials.

The state's contract with Flatiron says the company will get $200,000 for every day between the finish date and Dec. 24, with a 100-day cap on the incentive pay; the 100-day mark is Sept. 15.

On the nearby 10th Avenue bridge Sunday afternoon, a few onlookers relished the 35W span's impending completion. "I think it's great," said downtown resident Bill Jones. "It's amazing that it got done so quickly."

WHAT'S LEFT ON THE TO-DO LIST

This week, finishing touches are underway, said Kevin Gutknecht, MnDOT's communications manager for the 35W bridge project.

PAINTING Workers are painting the bridge from the ground up, some using regular handheld paintbrushes. The color? A shade that Minnesotans know all too well: snowbound white. There's also re-striping to be done on highway lanes.

TESTING The bridge has lights, sensors and an anti-icing system that need final checks. The sensors collect information such as how the bridge handles weight that designers can use on future spans.

GRINDING Workers use a machine to take a thin layer off the surface of the highway, texturizing the concrete.

LANDSCAPING Grass and trees beneath the bridge will help prevent soil erosion.

FIXING CRACKS Nicks need to be smoothed. Maybe the blade on a piece of heavy machinery smacked the pavement during construction.

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