Equipment failure stalls I-35E bridge finale

The plan to move a new bridge into place over Interstate 35E with a new construction method hit a snag Wednesday night.

The plan called for crews to build a new span to replace the bridge over the freeway beside Larpenteur Avenue, demolish the old span and then slide the new one into place.

The bridge work was supposed to be finished by 5 a.m today. MnDOT spokesman Kevin Gutknecht says there were problems with the equipment that was pushing the 3.5 million pound bridge into place.

"The slide is about half way complete. They ran into technical difficulties with the sliding mechanism and they'll work on those today and resolve the issues so to speak, and tonight about 10 p.m., they'll start again," he said.

Beginning at 10 p.m., July 10, both directions of I-35E between Wheelock Parkway and Larpenteur Avenue will close. Traffic will be redirected to the Wheelock Parkway and Larpenteur Avenue ramps and frontage road to bypass the closure. The interstate will reopen by 5 a.m. Friday, July 11.

The extra day won't prevent the transportation agency from using the same technique in other locations. A job like the Larpenteur Avenue bridge replacement typically takes more than 3 months, and this project is expected to wrap up in just 7 weeks.