Council Looking at Highway 7 Bridge Over Louisiana
Currently, the highway and the street intersect at-grade.
The St. Louis Park City Council is exploring a plan that would take Highway 7 over Louisiana Avenue via a to-be-constructed bridge.
The council has had several work session meetings on the topic, and members have generally been supportive.
However, project funding has not been fully resolved. The work will cost an estimated $25 million, and roughly $19 million has been committed by various entities, including the city, MnDOT and the federal government.
The city is seeking a $3 million state grant to help close the gap. The remaining funding will then likely come from the city. With the grant, St. Louis Park is looking at footing the bill for about $11 million of the $25 million project, or about 44 percent.
In 2010, the council completed a similar project at Highway 7 and Wooddale Avenue, although in this case, the street was raised above the highway. The work cost about $18 million, and the city contributed roughly 44 percent.
The city is hoping to complete final plans at Highway 7 and Louisiana this summer, then accept bids early next year. The bridge could be open by summer 2014.
We'd like to hear what you think about the Highway 7/Louisiana Avenue proposal. Answer our poll question, and feel free to leave a comment below.
Alison
5:50 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Are you kidding me? Highway 7 used to go over Louisiana. They went through all the construction and expense of dropping it down to be level with Louisiana, and now they want to put it back?
I guess I'd like to know that they're thinking it through this time. I'd hate to see them do this and then change their mind again in another 20 years or so.
Dirke
2:30 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
Of course there is no pedestrian safety plan for getting pedestrians across hw7. Of course no pedestrian bridge is planned in the project. My family doesn't, and will still not be able to, walk to Knollwood, Park Tavern or even Louisianna Oaks, without risking our lives getting across hw7. My oldest child cannot visit a friend blocks away without me having to drive him. It's truly rediculous.
Michael Rose
8:55 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
My understanding is that if the highway is raised over the street via a new bridge, pedestrians will be able to cross safely underneath, on Louisiana. There wouldn't need to be a pedestrian bridge in this model.
Rich Higgins
9:48 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
In fact this sounds much safer than the current set up if you plan on crossing Hwy.7 via Louisiana Ave. Also, the current bridge at Wooddale Ave is more than safe enough for people to cross over now and while construction is happening.
Emily B
10:38 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
I don't care what they do, but I thank God that the bike trail is far enough away, so hopefully they can't mess it up like at Wooddale. What a disaster.
guy davidson
7:09 pm on Friday, May 25, 2012
Yes that bike crossing at woodale is just nuts..what were they thinking?