Residents favor one-span curved bridge design at S. 28th Ave.

Design will offer better sightlines of the creek for trail users traveling under the bridge

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Local residents are helping decide what the new S. 28th Ave. bridge will look like over Minnehaha Creek.
The feedback gathered during a public meeting on May 30 was that neighbors want to see a curved façade design with enhanced concrete cutouts.
People also prefer a design without a pillar separating the trail from the creek. This will provide better sight lines to the creek for trail users, and replicate the existing historic structure. Plus, a one-span bridge will have less impact on the park during construction.
Photo right: When the new bridge is completed in 2019, trail users will cross under the busy S. 28th Ave. roadway along Minnehaha Creek. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
There was a discussion about railings, but this element will be determined further along in the design process. However, the bridge railings used at the Burnham Road Bridge near Lake of the Isles were well received by historians. The original railings on the bridge were concrete but will be replaced with metal ones.
While the existing bridge is an arch, the new one has to be square to accommodate the trail underneath the roadway and the house to the south, explained City Bridge Engineer Jack Yuzna.
Top priority to move trail beneath the road
Moving the trail beneath the busy S. 28th Ave. bridge is a top priority of users. This intersection was highlighted in the Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Master Plan, and a trail crossing below the bridge ranked as the second most important priority for the entire park.
Citizens at a May 9 open house on the project reiterated the danger of crossing S. 28th Ave. as it is now with a skewed trail alignment.
This trail is a component of the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway that has been nominated for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, and so the bridge needs to complement the historic setting as well as the natural setting, pointed out Yuzna.
“It’s a community amenity,” stated Yunza.
The original bridge was constructed in 1904 when vehicles and pedestrians shared the roadway. The arch has a clear span of 25 feet and rise of 7 feet. In the 1920s, the iron railing from the Franklin Ave. bridge was installed on the 28th Ave. bridge and sidewalks were added by cantilevering 3.5 feet beyond the bridge’s spandrel walls.
Photo left: While the new bridge will take up the same space as the old one, the configuration will be different. The driving lanes on the new bridge will be more narrow while the sidewalks will be wider. (Graphic submitted)
The existing structure has narrow sidewalks of 4.5 feet wide. In the new design, there will be 10 feet on each side to make it more comfortable for pedestrians and easier to remove snow. Approaching the bridge there will be eight-foot sidewalks with 6 feet of green space between the sidewalk and the street.
When the new bridge is constructed, the street lanes will be narrowed to make a shorter crossing for pedestrians, explained Public Works employee Patty Day.
Lanes are currently 22 feet and will be 16 feet in the future. The bridge will remain 56 feet wide.
There will also be new ADA-compliant crossings at E. 47th St.
Bridge will be out for six months in 2019
While the work is underway, S. 28th Ave. will be closed to vehicles and pedestrians for about six months. Residents didn’t favor using Nokomis Ave. as a detour route, so S. 34th Ave. will be the designated route for vehicles. This will be coordinated with the 34th Ave. reconstruction project from E. Minnehaha Pkwy. to E. 58th St., as well as Metro Transit.
Trail users will be directed up a block to E. 46th St.
The 28th bridge work is expected to begin in April 2019 and be finished in November 2019.
During that time, the disruption to flora and fauna will be minimized.
“The engineering team is working closely with the neighbors immediately impacted by the project and have made adjustments based on that feedback,” said Day. “Engineers are also working closely with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to ensure that the design of the pedestrian and bike trail is consistent with the long-range plan for the Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park.”
The proposed layout will be shared next with the Bicycle Advisory Committee and the Pedestrian Advisory Committee. It will then be brought before the Transportation and Public Works Committee of City Council in July 2018.

28th Ave. will be closed for bridge replacement next year

Photo above: This image from 1904 shows the 28th Ave. bridge over Minnehaha Creek shortly after it was built. Vehicles and pedestrians shared the roadway. (Photo submitted)

The project includes moving the multi-use trail underneath the busy roadway

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
When the bridge over Minnehaha Creek is replaced next year, 28th Ave. will be closed to vehicles and pedestrians for about six months.
Once the work is complete, pedestrians and bikers will cross underneath the busy roadway.
Construction is expected to begin in April 2019 and be finished in November 2019.
Photo right: Resident Michael McMurghie (left) and dog Huckleberry chat with City Bridge Engineer Jack Yuzna on Wed., May 9 during an open house on the proposed project. McMurghie expressed safety concerns about the current trail crossing the busy roadway. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
Right now, users of the multi-use Regional Park trail cross 28th at a skewed alignment at a crosswalk. This intersection was highlighted in the Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Master Plan, and a trail crossing below the bridge ranked as the second most important priority for the entire park.
“It’s dangerous for people going over all the time,” stated resident Michael McMurghie on May 9 during an open house on the proposed project.
As he’s collected comments on this project, City Bridge Engineer Jack Yuzna has repeatedly heard from people that they want the trail to cross 28th under the bridge.
Data on accidents at the trail crossing show they’ve primarily been vehicles rear-ending each other, or sideswiping another while passing. A few vehicles have run off the road.
Bridge built in 1904
In addition to providing a grade-separated trail crossing under 28th Ave. S. for non-motorized users, the purpose of this project is to provide a structurally-sound crossing over Minnehaha Creek for motorized and non-motorized users.
This trail is a component of the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway that has been nominated for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, and so the bridge needs to complement the historical setting as well as the natural setting.
The original bridge was constructed in 1904. The arch has a clear span of 25 feet and rise of 7 feet. Vehicles and pedestrians shared the roadway. In the 1920s, the iron railing from the Franklin bridge was installed on the 28th bridge, and sidewalks were added by cantilevering 3.5 feet beyond the bridge’s spandrel walls.
The existing structure has narrow sidewalks of 4.5 ft wide. In the new design, there will be at least 10 feet on each side to make it more comfortable for pedestrians and easier to remove snow.
The clearance needs to be at least 9.5 ft to place the trail under the bridge. A separated trail for bikes and pedestrians is planned.
Community input
Planners are asking for community input on the design of the project. “It’s a community amenity,” acknowledged Yunza.
Photo left: This renderings shows one of the design options for the new bridge and trail crossing along Minnehaha Creek at 28th Ave. (Illustrations submitted)
To accommodate a trail under the bridge, the new design can’t be an arch like it is now, explained Yunza. Doing that would require more space from the yard next door. However, design elements can be incorporated that could make the square shape look more like an arch.
Planners are also seeking input on the type of railing that will be used. Current safety regulations require a concrete railing for crash protection, but that could be topped by a steel one to look like it does now.
Photo left: This renderings shows another of the design options for the new bridge and trail crossing along Minnehaha Creek at 28th Ave. (Illustrations submitted)
Originally slated for 2017, the project was delayed because of the time it took to obtain a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers. The city applied for the permit in 2015.
While the exact detour route has not yet been determined, planners are coordinating it with the 34th Ave. reconstruction project as well as Metro Transit.
After the Messenger went to press, a public meeting was held May 30 on the project.

Future repairs, master plan ahead for entire Minnehaha Creek

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Minnehaha Creek is getting attention in Minneapolis this year.
The first project will fix erosion problems that sprang from flooding in 2014, while the second will create a master plan for the 39 acres of parkland along the creek.
Both projects were discussed during two identical open houses in April.
FEMA repairs this fall
In 2014, the Twin Cities saw the wettest first half of the year since modern-day record keeping began in 1871, with June 2014 being the wettest month on record. Coupled with a long winter and late snowmelt, this extreme precipitation led to a record flow on Minnehaha Creek and prolonged flooding throughout most of the spring and summer, according to the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD).
MCWD, together with the city of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board (MPRB), are working together to repair the erosion caused by flood damage, improve water quality, and improve access to the creek.
Thirteen places have been highlighted for work that will cost a total of $1 million. Of that, $500,000 will come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and must be spent by June 2019.
Work will begin in September 2018 and be finished by June 2019.
Photo right: Citizens attended an open house on Apr. 17 open house at Lynnhurt Recreation Center to learn more about upcoming projects occurring around Minnehaha Creek. An open house was also held on Apr. 12 at the Lake Nokomis Recreation Center; both provided the same information. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
The project has been divided into three areas. The first, west of 35W to Emerson, involves four sites. The second, from 35W east to Portland, has two sites in need of repair.
The remaining seven site projects are at Minnehaha Park.
The project includes a few walls constructed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s that are part of the Ground Rounds historic district. The historical society will weigh in on whether to remove or fix these walls.
At Minnehaha Park, the bridge at the base of the falls was eroded by high water. Nearby, stormwater and hillside run-off damaged the trail. In other areas, a rock slab collapsed, riprap was washed away, and boardwalk was undermined.
Most of the erosion issues will be solved by installing riprap (large stones), live plant stakes, and plants to stabilize the soil, explained MCWD Project and Land Manager Tiffany Schaufler.
Throughout this process, planners have also identified 13 storm sewer outfalls that drain directly into the creek as top priorities. The MPRB and city will work to figure out the best way to filter out pollutants from these outfalls and incorporate these solutions in future work near the creek, said Schaufler. This might include rain gardens, underground storage, or other types of soil infiltration methods. The report is new, and planners are still digesting the information, she pointed out.
Master plan in the works
In the early 1900s, the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board began acquiring property along the Minnehaha Creek—even though the city of Minneapolis only extended to Franklin Ave. at the time and everything farther out was farmland.
Under the direction of Theodore Wirth in the 1920s and 1930s, the creek was straightened in many places, and the parkway/carriageway installed.
Photo left: Lisa Goodard of Minneapolis Public Works chats with Nokomis resident Teresa Miller during the Apr. 17 open house. Miller is keeping a close eye on water issues in the area, concerned because of the perpetual flooding in her backyard that is adjacent to Solomon Park. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
In the 1960s and 1970s, the Eckbo Plan guided improvements along the creek. The roadway was paved its signature pink, and bicycle and walking trails separated. The pedestrian bridges were built in 1978.
“Since then, no master planning has been done,” pointed out MPRB Project Manager Adam Arvidson. “We’re overdue.”
He’s leading a comprehensive look at the parkland to fashion a master plan that looks ahead 20-30 years.
A Community Action Committee (CAC) is in the process of being formed and will begin meeting soon. A plan is expected to be created and approved by the MPRB of commissioners in January 2019.
Among the questions raised are whether MPRB should extend its system of trails all the way west of Lynnhurst Park to the city line. Right now, the trails head north at the parkway to Lake Harriet and do not extend any farther west.
Another question is whether more canoe launches should be added. Currently, there is one near Lyndhurst, one at Lake Nokomis, and one proposed for Lake Hiawatha.
Public input was solicited at two open houses in April, and a survey is available online at the MPRB project website to collect comments. Citizens can also sign up to receive project updates.