This $78 million Winona Bridge project involved the construction of a 2,300-foot concrete bridge next to an existing 1942-era historic bridge that carries Highway 43 over the Mississippi River. The new bridge will allow traffic to travel between Minnesota and Wisconsin while the historic bridge is being rehabilitated, and then serve as the two southbound lanes and a pedestrian path, while the rehabilitated bridge will carry the two northbound lanes.
This bridge was Minnesota’s first to use the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) method, which provided a 15-month time savings during construction. The team used concrete, segmental construction, and value-added aesthetics in the bridge construction. The bridge’s 450-foot concrete main span features arching variable-depth box girders, twin wall piers, and large pedestrian overlooks. The context-sensitive aesthetic features include nature-inspired pier shapes, custom railing, color, and abutment textures. The bridge’s lighting enhances safety while also creating a beautiful scene at night.
Construction on the new bridge project began October 24, 2014 and was completed August 27, 2016. Rehabilitation of the historic bridge is expected to be completed in Fall 2019.
The time-lapse video below, posted by Nick Oevering, shows the entire construction process.
