Public information meeting set for Jan. 31 to learn about the I-90 Austin bridges project
Published 5:39 pm Thursday, January 12, 2023
- A vehicle drives down the entrance ramp to Interstate 90, one of six bridges that will be replaced in the next three years. Herald file photo
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The public is invited to attend an in-person information meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 31, in Austin to learn more about a construction project to replace and improve Interstate 90 bridges and interchanges in Austin, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
The meeting will be held from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Austin Public Library, 323 4th Ave. NE, Austin. The session is drop-in style to better fit individual schedules. People may arrive at any time to learn, ask questions and sign up for updates.
People unable to attend the in-person event will be able to review information and displays from the meeting afterward on the project website and provide comments on the plans. People can also sign up for email and text message updates, review information and follow up after the meeting.
Minnesota Department of Transportation
MnDOT is planning to replace or repair bridges at six sites along the I-90 corridor in Austin from 2024 to 2026. The work will include bridges at:
- Oakland Avenue West (Hwy 105), replace in 2024
- 14th Street Northwest (Hwy 218 north), replace in 2026
- Fourth Street Northwest, replace in 2024-2025
- I-90 over Cedar River, replace in 2024-2025
- I-90 over Sixth Street Northeast, rehabilitate in 2024-2025
- 21st Street Northeast (Hwy 218 south), replace in 2026
The project is estimated to cost $45-50 million, with the City of Austin contributing $1 million to the project in local spending.
The biggest chunk of that will be a sizable portion of Fourth Street NW from the bridge to 13th Avenue NW, the road between Subway and Kwik Trip, that the city is responsible for funding refurbishment.
In September of last year, Minnesota senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith were in Austin to announce $25 million in Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) funding for the project, part of a larger $1.5 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for 26 transportation projects nationwide.
“We are building things in Minnesota and around the country … and we’re seeing the results right here,” Smith said at the time. “Infrastructure is really about investing in people. This is a major artery of commerce as well as making the community work.”
