The Sauk Rapids Regional Bridge is a bridge spanning the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

in the U. S. city of

Sauk Rapids, Minnesota Sauk Rapids ( ) is a city in Benton County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,862 at the 2020 census and is 13,896 according to 2021 census estimates, about a third of Benton County's population. It is on a set of rapids on the M ...

. Construction began on September 26, 2005; the bridge was completed in September 2007 and opened to traffic on October 23, 2007. The official dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on November 16, 2007. The bridge replaced the former Sauk Rapids Bridge, located a short distance downriver, which was demolished in the fall and winter of 2007-2008. The new bridge spans the

BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, transcontine ...

on the east bank of the river. Traffic flow is no longer disrupted during train crossings; this was a frequent problem with the former bridge. The new span relied heavily on steel for its construction rather than concrete to reduce the number of piers needed to be placed in the river. This design choice increased the project cost by $2.3 million

USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...

to a total cost estimated at $56.63 million. Construction of the bridge of itself cost an estimated $20.46 million, with other costs including right-of-way purchases, road construction, and a program to help businesses affected by the project relocate elsewhere in downtown Sauk Rapids. The entire project was large in scope, due to the amount of business and residential properties that were affected by its chosen location. When the Sauk Rapids Bridge project began, it was considered to be the first downtown transportation project of its kind nationwide in terms of the scale of relocations of businesses that were necessary. The success of the project may set a precedent for future bridges. The original design of the bridge was hotly contested between Benton County and the City of Sauk Rapids, and the dispute was nearly taken to court. The county had wished that the bridge land beyond Benton Drive (Sauk Rapids' "main street") on Second Avenue and connect with Second Street North. The city feared that such a design would adversely affect businesses in the downtown area and desired instead that the bridge land on Benton Drive. Benton County's stake in the project (

Stearns County Stearns County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,292. Its county seat and largest city is St. Cloud. Included within the Minnesota Territory since 1849, the county was founded by Europe ...

being the other contributor) was eventually handed over to the city, and it was elected that the bridge pass over the BNSF Railway, land on Benton Drive, and connect with Second Street North. The Sauk Rapids Regional Bridge features a spiral walkway on the Sauk Rapids side of the bridge that allows pedestrians to access the city parking lot under the bridge.

References

{{Crossings navbox , structure = Crossings , place =

, bridge = Sauk Rapids Regional Bridge , bridge signs = , upstream = Bridge of Hope , upstream signs = , downstream = Sauk Rapids Bridge (1942-2008) , downstream signs = Road bridges in Minnesota Bridges over the Mississippi River Bridges completed in 2007 Buildings and structures in Benton County, Minnesota Transportation in Benton County, Minnesota Great River Road Steel bridges in the United States Plate girder bridges in the United States

See also

References