News Release

(Roseville, Minn.) — Installation of an anti-icing system on the new 1,150-foot long Interstate 35E Lexington Bridge across the Mississippi River in St. Paul begins Wednesday, July 13. Crews will measure and mark the bridge deck for installation of spray disks for the anti-icing system tomorrow and Thursday.

Traffic will be restricted to a single lane from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the northbound bridge. At the same time, the ramp from Highway 13 to northbound I-35E also will close. On Thursday, southbound traffic will be restricted to a single lane from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and the ramp from Shepard Road to the southbound interstate will be closed. There will be n o signed detours for the ramp closures.

Traffic again will be restricted to a single lane throughout this weekend during installation of the disks. Work begins around 4 a.m. Saturday morning on the northbound bridge and when all disks are in place, crews will shift to the southbound bridge. Weather permitting, installation will be completed by 5:30 a.m. on Monday morning, July 18. If necessary, work will continue on a subsequent weekend.

Beginning Monday morning, July 18, motorists are advised to watch for daily lane closures and intermittent ramp closures on the I-35E bridge as conduit and pipe is routed to carry liquid to the spray disks. Closures will be marked in advance and drivers should use alternate routes to avoid delays.

Delivery of the pump and storage equipment and construction of the new pumphouse will begin in August.

The anti-icing system, which sprays potassium acetate onto the bridge surface in inclement weather, will lessen the amount of frost and ice that for m on the bridge deck's surface. It also will be placed on 1,250 feet of the northbound approach road in an attempt to keep salt off the bridge. This will help the Minnesota Department of Transportation determine if an anti-icing system can prolong the life of a bridge by using a measured amount of anti-icing liquid on the structure only when it is needed.

Once testing is completed, the system should be operational by the middle of September.

Mn/DOT reminds motorists to SLOW DOWN in the work zone and NEVER enter a roadway that has been blocked with barriers or cones. Please join us in a safety partnership. For statewide traffic, construction and travel information visit www.511mn.org or call 511.

 

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