The Bloomington City Council has accepted $3 million in state bonding connected to the Old Cedar Avenue Bridge.
The city had faced the possibility of losing the bonds if it did not act, because a portion of the bonds had been approved in 2008 and could have been withdrawn at the start of the 2013 legislative session.
The closed bridge crosses Long Meadow Lake in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Cyclists, hikers and bird watchers want the bridge rehabbed and reopened, but Bloomington has resisted spending any money on the bridge until a new owner is found.
Combined with other funds, the city now has $6.275 million for a bridge project. The bonds are for environmental analysis, design and construction of a trail connection by the bridge and development of a part of the Minnesota Valley State Trail that would run from Fort Snelling to Long Meadow Lake. That trail would be for cyclists and other recreational users.
