Project will light up Rock Island Swing Bridge

The historic bridge that once joined Inver Grove Heights and St. Paul Park across the Mississippi River is set to get a lot brighter.

The Inver Grove Heights City Council last month approved an agreement with Dakota County allowing the city to be reimbursed for a project that will illuminate the historic Rock Island Swing Bridge, which once spanned the Mississippi River. The council also greenlit a contract with SEH, an engineering and architectural firm, to complete the project’s design work and construction.

“[The bridge] is a historic staple to the community itself,” said Adam Lares, the city’s parks and recreation director. “There’s so many memories tied to it.”

The city can now access a $458,000 special appropriation from the state to move forward with lighting upgrades that will add LED fixtures both inside and outside the bridge and also light up the trailhead area. Floodlights will light up the historic portion; the LED lights will be able to change color.

The Rock Island Swing Bridge, built about 130 years ago for the South St. Paul Beltline Railroad, was designed as a double-decker structure carrying railroad traffic on the upper level and vehicle traffic on the lower level. The bridge was closed to rail use in 1980, and in 1999 it was closed to road traffic, too. It is now a pier accessible to the public, extending 670 feet over the river.

It was an important connection in the east metro area before Interstate 494 existed, Lares said.

The lighting project “gives people an opportunity to interact with the legacy of the bridge,” he said.

Near the foot of the bridge, the city maintains a park that offers visitors views of the Mississippi River. The county owns a trailhead facility located at the park that connects to the Mississippi River Greenway. The trailhead facility includes bike fix-it stations, restrooms, water and benches, according to the city’s website.

The council must still approve design plans, and the project hasn’t yet gone through the bidding process, Lares said, adding that construction could start in late summer or fall.