Bike bridge open!

[Trevize1138]

http://www.startribune.com/10241/story/1538788.html

[Paul Swenson]

Cool. I'll have to check that out tonight

[charliebrown]

What a cool looking bridge. I will have to drive over there, ride my bike over the bridge and back, and then drive home one day this weekend. ;)

[THUMP!]

What a cool looking bridge. I will have to drive over there, ride my bike over the bridge and back, and then drive home one day this weekend. ;)
If you come to the city you should at least bring the trail queen and come over and ride Theo with me!

[Lezgo Cycling]

If you come to the city you should at least bring the trail queen and come over and ride Theo with me!

I thoght we were riding leb ? :D

[ninjanick]

I rode over that thing like three weeks ago. They might have still been doing some landscaping or something. When I heard the opening story on the radio this morning I found myslef wondering what the hell they have been doing for the last three weeks! Its a cool bridge, and provides good view of DT.

[RiverRat]

I rode over it last weekend. I don't believe it was officially open, but they weren't doing anything to keep people off of it either. It looked like they were doing some finishing landscaping, and hadn't cleaned up the surface yet. The "official" grand opening was supposed to be thursday evening.

[Lezgo Cycling]

sounds like a destination in its own...maybe ill make after theo sunday to check it out

[ilove2bike]

we'll have to make that a destination on our urban ride tommorow.

[ryno lite]

Sure looks cool. Can't wait to ride it.

Not to be downer, but couldn't they have used that 5.1 million in a better way? I've crossed Hwy 55 many times on the greenway and the light slowed me down, but I didn't think it was that big of a deal. I guess in my opinion the problem didn't warrant a 5.1 million dollar fix. I know it will be safer and nicer, but I think there are bigger fish to fry out there.

I know it's a different project and different government agencies, but the cedar bridge or a crucial metro river crossing might have been a better way to spend the money. Oh well, those who ask and work on it get the money I guess.

[manual63]

I can't wait until they do up the RR bridge that goes across the river. When that is done, that will be sweet!!

[Nickel]

The ceremony last evening was very cool and the bridge is very nice. I think that when they get x dollars for a project they have to use it on that project but there might have been some beautification dollars in there as well which is what drives up the total cost. I'm also guessing some $$ went into repaving the connection sections of the LRT trail and the Greenway on both sides of 55.

They also had signs up for the next phase which is a Mississippi River crossing to connect Phase I of the Greenway to St. Paul. The 2 designs I saw were also suspension and looked really nice but also totally different from this new bridge.

[Paul Swenson]

I can't wait until they do up the RR bridge that goes across the river. When that is done, that will be sweet!!

I don't think that will happen anytime soon. I would love for that to happen since the path would go within a half a mile of my house but I haven't heard any positive developments lately.

[biking_stickman]

I don't think that will happen anytime soon. I would love for that to happen since the path would go within a half a mile of my house but I haven't heard any positive developments lately.

The St. Paul Midtown connection was ranked very high on the CIB (I have no clue what CIB is, but it is used to determine public funding).

I asked about it at our last community council meeting (I'm a board member) and hopefully I'll get an update next month. The writer from the Villager also mentioned that she was going to look into it and possibly put together a story.

[Paul Swenson]

The St. Paul Midtown connection was ranked very high on the CIB (I have no clue what CIB is, but it is used to determine public funding).

I asked about it at our last community council meeting (I'm a board member) and hopefully I'll get an update next month. The writer from the Villager also mentioned that she was going to look into it and possibly put together a story.

I want to see that bridge in the worst way. I thought they were going to pave a path from Ayd Mill Rd to the river, whatever happened with that.

[biking_stickman]

http://midwaytmo.org/greenway.htm

"Midway TMO has been advocating for the extension of the Midtown Greenway bicycle/pedestrian trail into St. Paul since 2004. The Greenway would cross the old railroad bridge near Shriner's Hospital and then follow the Canadian Pacific Railroad corridor through St. Paul, paralleling I-94 for a time before heading southeast down the Ayd Mill Road corridor toward downtown St. Paul. The City of St. Paul has secured funding for two phases of construction of the Greenway extension project. The section of trail that will parallel Ayd Mill Road will be constructed in 2007-08. The section between the Minneapolis/St. Paul border and Prior Avenue will be constructed in 2010."

I want to see that bridge in the worst way. I thought they were going to pave a path from Ayd Mill Rd to the river, whatever happened with that.

[Paul Swenson]

http://midwaytmo.org/greenway.htm

"Midway TMO has been advocating for the extension of the Midtown Greenway bicycle/pedestrian trail into St. Paul since 2004. The Greenway would cross the old railroad bridge near Shriner's Hospital and then follow the Canadian Pacific Railroad corridor through St. Paul, paralleling I-94 for a time before heading southeast down the Ayd Mill Road corridor toward downtown St. Paul. The City of St. Paul has secured funding for two phases of construction of the Greenway extension project. The section of trail that will parallel Ayd Mill Road will be constructed in 2007-08. The section between the Minneapolis/St. Paul border and Prior Avenue will be constructed in 2010."

Thanks for the link. Have they started construction yet? I haven't seen any activity.

[biking_stickman]

Thanks for the link. Have they started construction yet? I haven't seen any activity.

I live 1/2 block from Ayd Mill and often run where they are planning on putting the bike path. When some dirt starts to move, I'll post up.

[Paul Swenson]

I live 1/2 block from Ayd Mill and often run where they are planning on putting the bike path. When some dirt starts to move, I'll post up.

I run down there often as well and thought that the dirt was going to start moving last spring. Someone told me the plan was nixed so that's part of the reason I was concerned. It sounds like you know more then the person who told me that.

[biking_stickman]

I run down there often as well and thought that the dirt was going to start moving last spring. Someone told me the plan was nixed so that's part of the reason I was concerned. It sounds like you know more then the person who told me that.

The city budget was redone during the middle of the year so everything is up in the air regarding funding. I have a feeling a bike path doesn't win out against other issues. I emailed the organization that is supporting this for updated info, but we may have to wait and see if the dirt starts moving.

[bigwheel]

Guess I gotta side with Ryno. The new bridge is nice and beautiful, but it's a shame that some of the money and effort can't be diverted into projects like the Cedar Ave causeway, which could open up entire areas at a fraction of the cost. Right now, the lack of a Cedar ave crossing completely chokes off any reasonable connections between Bloomington/Richfield and Eagan/Burnsville/AppleValley.

It normally wouldn't bother me, but they spent (wasted) so much money building the excellent bridge across the MN river, but the bridge is useless if you can't get to it.


Sure looks cool. Can't wait to ride it.

Not to be downer, but couldn't they have used that 5.1 million in a better way? I've crossed Hwy 55 many times on the greenway and the light slowed me down, but I didn't think it was that big of a deal. I guess in my opinion the problem didn't warrant a 5.1 million dollar fix. I know it will be safer and nicer, but I think there are bigger fish to fry out there.

I know it's a different project and different government agencies, but the cedar bridge or a crucial metro river crossing might have been a better way to spend the money. Oh well, those who ask and work on it get the money I guess.

[ryno lite]

Actually drove past the bridge last night. First time I've seen it completed and lit up. It sure is a beautiful bridge. Regardless of the price and need, it sure turned out nice!

[jitterjepp]

http://www.startribune.com/10241/story/1538788.html

I hate the Star Tribune for having a website where I have to login to read half sized articles when they are making money off advertising. Websites should no longer be asking you to login to read content. This is 2007 and they have paid advertising. Get with the program Star Tribune!