Overview

 

Status:

• Construction began January 2011
  

 

Location:

• St. Paul

 

Schedule:

• January 2011 – Fall 2014:  Construct new northbound and southbound Hwy 52 bridges and interchanges
• Summer 2011: Work on northbound Concord Street, Eaton Street and Plato Boulevard bridges
• Spring-Summer 2012: Work on southbound Concord St., Eaton St. and Plato Blvd. bridges

 

Description:

• Replacement of the Lafayette Bridge crossing the Mississippi River east of downtown St. Paul.  Also modification of bridges over I-94 and realignment of adjoining roadways. Redecking of the Plato Boulevard and Eaton Street bridges and resurfacing of the Concord Street bridge.
• Map of the alternate route for the Bruce Vento Trail
  
  

May 23 Project Update

Rain in the forecast has caused the cancellation of ramp closures from northbound Hwy 52 to westbound I-94 and East 7th Street to westbound I-94.

The overnight ramp closures have been rescheduled to close at 7 p.m. May 29 and May 30 and reopen by 5 a.m. May 30 and May 31.

The ramp closures are needed as crews build the west half of the new loop from northbound 52 to westbound 94. Please follow the posted detours during the closures.

Hwy 52 Lafayette Bridge
         

• The north and south abutments and all thirteen new piers for the new northbound bridge are completed
• Retaining wall construction continues on the north side of the river.  The retaining walls on the south side of the river are finished.  Painting of these walls will begin later this year.
• Northbound Hwy 52 is paved between Plato Boulevard and to within 400 feet of the abutment for the new northbound bridge.  (The new bypass from these new lanes to the existing bridge was finished in last October.)
• New ramps for the 7th Street Exit, westbound Interstate 94 and eastbound Interstate 94 will open late in 2012, with most of the concrete paving being done in 2012.
• Storm water sewer work is finished on both sides of the river, except for Loop A (northbound Hwy 52 to westbound I-94) and building the south and north retention ponds
• The north end of the new exit from Hwy 52 to 7th Street is paved but will not open until summer.  This exit will allows access to the parking lots for Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the state Department of Natural Resources and Minnesota Department of Human Services buildings.  The rest of the exit will not be completed until late in 2012.

Roads Closed:

• 5th Street: Closed east of Johns Street and no longer exists as a street.
• 4th Street: Closed to vehicles. Bicyclist have access to Bruce Vento trail by way of 4th Street
• Kittson Street north of 7th street no longer exists.  It will be the new NB TH 52 to 7th Street Exit
• Kittson Street south of the Downtowner and Holiday Station no longer exists.

 

Affected Roads:

• Plato Boulevard affords no access to northbound Hwy 52. Motorists should follow the posted detour

 

Bridge Painting
Half of the Winifred Street pedestrian bridge crossing Lafayette Freeway is painted
No other bridges are painted at this time

 

 

Project Details
Replacement of the Lafayette Bridges in St. Paul began in January 2011. See current project updates.

• The new northbound Hwy 52 Lafayette Bridge will be constructed in 2011-2013
• Traffic will be switched to the new bridge late in 2013—and the new bridge will continue to maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction
• The existing Lafayette Bridge will be demolished, and the new southbound Hwy 52 Bridge will be constructed in 2014-2015
• Motorists will experience ramp closures during construction, but Hwy 52 will remain open for the full construction period

When completed, the two new bridges (northbound and southbound) each will provide two through-lanes and an auxiliary lane in each direction for entering and exiting traffic. The project also includes the modification and realignment of the Hwy 52 bridges over I-94 and re-decking of the Hwy 52 bridges south of the Mississippi River spanning Plato Boulevard and Eaton Street along with repairs and resurfacing the bridges crossing Concord Street. A pedestrian and bicycle crossing over the river on the northbound bridge is included in the plans.

The project limits stretch along Hwy 52 from East Seventh Street to just south of Plato Boulevard.