The Lowry Avenue bridge connects North Minneapolis with Northeast Minneapolis. The current 889-foot, four-lane bridge was opened in 1958 on the site of a 1905 bridge and has average daily traffic of about 16,600 vehicles.

The Lowry bridge, which crosses over the Mississippi River, is classified as a “minor urban arterial,” and listed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation as “fracture critical.” According to the MnDOT website, “fracture critical” is defined as a bridge with “steel superstructure with load (tension) carrying members arranged in a manner in which if one fails, the bridge could collapse. …The classification of fracture critical does not mean the bridge is inherently unsafe.”

Starting earlier this week, the bridge has been closed during daylight hours while inspectors check for deficiencies. MnDOT has directed that all bridges on the list must be inspected by Dec. 1.

The bridge was slated to be replaced in 2009, but lack of transportation repair funding has made the replacement uncertain.

One end of the Lowry bridge is in state Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller’s district. Pogemiller said, “This is a bridge that has been in trouble for quite a few years. I think Hennepin County has been trying to move this up the list of problem bridges because there was a shift in one of the supports noticed a year or two ago. It’s got big problems, and it needs to be replaced, the entire bridge.”

When the Monitor asked Pogemiller about replacing the bridge, he replied that the Legislature would like it replaced. “There’s been planning, there’s been some design done, and they’ve just been trying to come up with the funds to do it,” he said. “The funding’s not committed. We put in some money last year at the state level to proceed with the planning, but they’re basically waiting for both the state and federal commitment to try to get the bridge fixed.”

Pogemiller called on Gov. Tim Pawlenty to sign a transportation bill, the last two of which he vetoed. “This is just one example of any number of bridges around the state that need help,” Pogemiller said.

Minnesota Monitor will continue taking a weekly look at these bridges.  If you have feedback on this or any other bridges on the list, please contact us at tips@minnesotamonitor.com.