Inspections Taking Place on Lafayette Bridge

Shannon Weidemann

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Inspectors from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) are currently examining the Lafayette Bridge into St. Paul. Reports and previous inspections had placed its safety rating as lower than the 35W Bridge. The 35W Bridge collapsed in Minneapolis at the beginning of August killing 13 people. MnDOT plans to survey the majority of bridges in Minnesota.

So far, MnDOT has completed about 87 of approximately 250 planned in-depth inspections. At least 103 of 127 bridges deemed structurally deficient have also been inspected.

MnDOT hopes to finish field inspections by Dec. 1.

The current plan is to replace the Lafayette Bridge in 2011. Inspectors hope to have their work completed by September 12th.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to our section on the Minneapolis Bridge Collapse.