Minneapolis Celebrates The Reopening Of The Historic Stone Arch Bridge

MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) -- Governor Tim Walz and MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger will announce that the Stone Arch Bridge will reopen on Monday.

The announcement comes nearly three months ahead of schedule, after partially closing the bridge for preservation and rehabilitation work.

The announcement event will be held at 2:00 p.m.

The $38.5 million project made repairs to the mortar.  The rocks and stones have been replaced and repaired as needed.

Historic Stone Arch Bridge History

James J. Hill commissioned the Stone Arch Bridge over the Mississippi River in 1881 to carry freight and passengers to and from Minneapolis.

It was built over the course of 22 months from 1882 and 1883.

Engineer Charles C. Smith designed the bridge with a curve due to the site's physical restriction, which included pre-existing buildings, St. Anthony Falls, and fragile stone.

Achieving the curve as designed required 23 arches varying in size from 40 to 100 feet wide.

Granite from Sauk Rapids was used for the pilings of the bridge.

The Stone Arch Bridge was called "Hill's Folly" during construction, but once it was completed, it became a recognized and admired symbol of Minneapolis.

The width of the bridge was increased in 1925 to accommodate larger trains.

The Stone Arch Bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

The last passenger train went over the bridge and 1978, which put the future of the bridge in jeopardy.

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Then, in 1994, it was transformed into a pedestrian walkway.

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