On Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016 the community held a celebratory dedication event and the Winona Bridge No. 85851 opened to traffic. The intersection of 4th Street and Winona Street is now open and all traffic can cross the new bridge, while Bridge No. 5900 is closed for rehabilitation.
Bike trail closures
The bicycle trail on the levee under the Winona bridge is
closed during construction until late 2019. Bicyclists should detour from Johnson Street to Second Street to Riverview Drive.
View/print bike detour map (PDF). The section of the bike trail from Riverview Drive to the bridge, which will be used as construction
access, will be rebuilt as part of the project and re-opened following construction. View/print project overview map (PDF).
The Winona Bridge carries an average of
11,300 vehicles per day
MnDOT is moving ahead with a two-bridge solution that rehabilitates the existing bridge and builds a new permanent bridge immediately upstream of the existing bridge. We've gotten some questions about why the existing Cass Street Bridges in La Crosse include a tied arch structure next to a through truss as well as why the plans for the new Red Wing Bridge include a tied arch bridge alternate, while the new Winona Bridge is planned to be built using a concrete box girder design along with rehabilitation of the existing bridge. The answer is: due to several factors, a tied arch design was considered as an option for the new Winona Bridge project but the concept did not ultimately become the recommended new bridge type. Learn more.
July 2014: Start of construction. Contractor starts building temporary access facilities on both sides of the river.
Aug. 2014: Start of permanent construction of new bridge river piers with a goal of getting the critical elements of the piers raised above the water before spring flooding in 2015.
January 1, 2015: MnDOT possession of Right-of-Way. Start of demolition of buildings that are being acquired.
March 2015: Proceed with roadway work on both sides of the river, including in Winona, and with the remainder of the work to construct the new bridge.
Fall 2016: Completion and opening of new bridge. Close old bridge and begin rehab and reconstruction work.
Fall 2019 / Spring 2020: Overall completion. Traffic open on both bridges.
