Smith Avenue High Bridge Closure: Key Details, Dates

Commuters in the east metro will have to say goodbye to the Smith Avenue High Bridge in Saint Paul for more than a year. A Minnesota Department of Transportation construction project will close the bridge from Sept. 5 through December 2018.

Here's what motorists should know:

• High Bridge Primary Detour: Annapolis St, Robert St, Kellogg Blvd, West 7th St. to Smith Ave/Hwy 149
• High Bridge Alternate Detour: NB Grand Ave/Ramsey St, SB I-35E, EB Hwy 110 to Dodd Rd/Hwy 149

Trail closures

Tue, Sept. 5 through December 2018

• A short section of the Samuel Morgan Trail adjacent to the Mississippi River between Randolph Ave. and Washington St. will be closed
  • Trail Detour: Shepard Rd trail
• Short-term, intermittent closures of the trail along Shepard Rd. between Randolph Ave. and Eagle Pkwy.
  • Trail Detour: Follow posted signs (multiple roads)
• Short-term, intermittent closures of the Lilydale trail and Water St. between Hwy 13 and Plato Blvd.
  • Trail Detour: Hwy 13/Sibley Memorial Highway

Additional closures

Aug. 22 through Mon, Sept. 11

• The High Bridge Dog Park will be closed while crews prepare for demolition of the bridge deck and erect new fencing that will reduce the footprint of the dog park so it can remain open during construction.

Tue, Aug. 22 through December 2018

• Access to the High Bridge Dog Park via Randolph Ave. will be closed for the duration of the bridge deck reconstruction.
  • Users should access the dog park via Washington St. and Spring St.

About this project

Summary

Construction crews will resurface Smith Ave. and Dodd Rd/Hwy 149 between West 7th St. in St. Paul and I-494 in Mendota Heights, and Annapolis St. (Hwy 13) between Smith Ave. and Cherokee Heights Blvd in St. Paul, West St. Paul and Mendota Heights. Crews will also reconstruct the driving surface (bridge deck) of the Smith Ave. High Bridge over the Mississippi River. Additional proposed work includes:

• Improving drainage, sidewalks and pedestrian accessibility
• Replacing signals at five intersections:
  • Smith Ave. and West 7th St.
  • Smith Ave. and George St.
  • Smith Ave. and Annapolis St.
  • Smith Ave. and Dodd Rd.
  • Dodd Rd. and the I-494 north ramp terminal
• Constructing an additional left turn lane from westbound I-494 to southbound Dodd Rd/Hwy 149
• Removing ash trees within the project limits

Image via Google Streetview