1 week Ago By Theresa Bourke
BRAINERD — Plans for a pedestrian bridge across Highway 210 near Lum Park are on hold. Brainerd City Council members voted Tuesday, Sept. 3, to stop moving forward with the project after learning the timeline would not align with a Minnesota Department of Transportation grant the city was recently offered.
A grant of $1,336,000 from MnDOT’s Carbon Reduction Program came earlier this year after the city requested $1.5 million for the project that would see a pedestrian bridge built across Highway 210. The funds, however, were contingent on the city being able to award the construction bid for the project by the end of 2025.
With that timeline, the council would have to begin project design and development this month. ADVERTISEMENT According to a 2023 feasibility report, the bridge itself is estimated to cost about $4.5 million, with aesthetic costs ranging from $200,000 to $400,000 and utility work estimated at another $185,000.
With design engineering, material testing and other “soft costs” on a federally-funded project, the overall project cost is estimated at about $6 million. The council does not yet have a plan on where the rest of the funding would come from. “There’s too big of a gap, too much of a risk and liability to put on our taxpayer citizens without securing funding at this time,” council member Mike O’Day said.
Council member Gabe Johnson asked if declining the grant would have any impact on future grants the city might apply for. City Engineer/Public Works Director Jessie Dehn said it could make MnDOT think twice about funding the project in the future, but it should not really be a consideration going forward, as MnDOT also does not want to see funds returned. The council’s action Tuesday halted the project for the time being, with council members agreeing to continue exploring funding opportunities when available.
The bridge would serve as a connection for the Cuyuna Lakes State Trail near Lum Park. Future trail improvements are already planned as part of larger projects along highways 25 and 210. The bridge would connect these improvements to Lum Park via the bridge near the entrance of the park, with the trail extending along Highway 210 and 10th Avenue Northeast.
THERESA BOURKE may be reached at [email protected] or 218-855-5860.
Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchTheresa .
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