Two-day closure of Wabasha Street bridge in St. Paul coming this week

Photo: DAVID JOLES/Star Tribune

One of the three river crossings on the south end of downtown St. Paul will close for two days this week putting commuters and transit riders on detour.

The Wabasha Street bridge will be closed Wednesday and Thursday as part of a larger street reconstruction project between Kellogg Boulevard and Fillmore Avenue. The two-day bridge closure will allow crews to complete storm sewer work on the south end of the bridge.

During the closure, motorists will be directed to use Robert Street. About 13,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day, according to MnDOT counts.

Some of the work will begin Tuesday at the Plato Boulevard/Wabasha Street intersection, but two-way traffic will be maintained, said city spokesman Joe Ellickson.

The full closure will kick in Wednesday morning, he said.

"Road construction can be disruptive," the city said in a statement. "For your safety and that of the crews, please drive safely through work zones."

Between now and October, the city is rebuilding a portion of Wabasha Street. The project includes adding a center median, upgrading lights and utilities, improving curbs and gutters and adding boulevard trees, public art and walkways to make intersections look aesthetically pleasing.

Drivers can expect to see closures on and off throughout the project. The bridge will be closed for up to a few weeks at a time during construction, but crews will try to keep the bridge open as much as possible, the city said.

Starting in September, another river crossing will close when the High Bridge, also known as Hwy. 149/Smith Avenue, shuts down. MnDOT will put a new deck on the bridge as part of a larger project to resurface Smith Avenue and Dodd Road between W. 7th St. in St. Paul and I-494 in Mendota Heights.

To help motorists get across the river, construction crews will work with MnDOT to coordinate construction to limit the times that both the Wabasha Bridge and High Bridge are closed at the same time.