Construction for Hwy 61 Canadian Pacific Railway bridge replacement begins April 8 near Red Wing
RED WING, Minn. – Construction to replace the Highway 61 bridge over the Canadian Pacific Railway at the south end of Red Wing is scheduled to begin April 8, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Beginning April 1, motorists might encounter brief delays while heavy equipment is being brought to the construction site.
The project is expected to be completed October 2024. The contractor for the $10.2 million project is Redstone Construction, LLC.
The new Highway 61 bridge over the Canadian Pacific Railway will be constructed to the north of the existing bridge to maintain two-way traffic during construction. The original bridge was bult in 1955. It will remain in use during construction and be removed after traffic switches to the new bridge.
The Mississippi River Trail (MRT) runs along the shoulders of Highway 61 in this location. The new bridge will include wider shoulders to better accommodate MRT users, as well as provide the appropriate clearance for trains using the Canadian Pacific Railway.
New left turn lanes will be constructed to provide safer access at nearby intersections and commercial driveways at these locations:
- A new left turn lane will be constructed at the Wylie Wilson Trucking entrance. Minor traffic impacts may occur during the work such as a shoulder and/or lane closure.
- A new continuous left turn lane will provide a turn lane for the USG and Cemstone entrances. Minor traffic impacts may occur during the work such as a shoulder and/or lane closure.
- The Highway 61/Golf Links Drive intersection will shift roughly 500 feet to the northwest to allow for a new left turn lane to be constructed without impacting the bridge. Work is anticipated to take place in the fall and last several weeks. During that time, Golf Links Drive will be closed and detoured.
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