Overview
- The Red Wing Bridge Project is currently underway.
- The Project includes the Highway 63 (Eisenhower) Bridge over the Mississippi River and the Highway 63 Bridge over Highway 61, as well as the highway connections to Highway 61, Highway 58, and approach roadways in Wisconsin.
- MnDOT is currently in the preliminary phase, which includes gathering data and reviewing options, to determine if the bridges should be rehabilitated or replaced.
- Work is currently underway to identify a preferred alternative concept.
Location
- City of Red Wing
Schedule
- Current preliminary design phase will be complete in 2014
- Final design will be completed between 2014 to 2017
- Multi-year construction project will begin in Summer 2018 (proposed).
Traffic impacts
There are no traffic impacts at this time.
Primary Project Purpose
- Provide a structurally sound bridge crossing of the Mississippi River Main Channel at Red Wing
- Provide a structurally sound crossing of Highway 61.
Secondary Project Purpose
- Maintain traffic to the maximum extent possible.
- Maintain or improve pedestrian/bicycle traffic facilities.
- Provide adequate capacity, acceptable traffic operations & safe design.
Benefits
- The project will result in a crossing of the Mississippi River that will be structurally sound through the design year of the project. The Eisenhower Bridge provides the only regional crossing of the river for approximately 30 miles upstream and downstream for several communities on both the Wisconsin and Minnesota sides of the river.
Key issues
- The Eisenhower Bridge is fracture critical, meaning that if one fracture critical member of the bridge were to fail, the entire bridge could collapse.
- The Highway 63 Bridge over Highway 61 is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places
- MnDOT is studying a rehabilitation option for the existing bridges.
- Maintaining traffic on the crossing to the maximum extent possible is a key concern.
- Municipal consent is required from the City of Red Wing.
Traffic Volumes
The two-lane bridge currently carries an average of 13,300 vehicles per day (2012 count).