I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge
The I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge crosses the Mississippi River one-half mile downstream from the Saint Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the U.S., carrying north–south traffic on Interstate 35W. The ten-lane bridge replaced the I-35W Mississippi River bridge, which collapsed on August 1, 2007. It was planned and is maintained by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). The planning, design, and construction processes were completed more quickly than normal because Interstate 35W is a critical artery for commuters and truck freight. The bridge opened September 18, 2008, well ahead of the original goal of December 24.
Opening day, September 18, 2008, from south end.
The previous 9340 Bridge, post-collapse
Minnesotans at a US DOT press conference. Left to right: Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Mayor R. T. Rybak, Secretary Mary Peters behind Rep. Keith Ellison (speaking), Rep. Betty McCollum and Sen. Norm Coleman.
Bridge on September 20, 2008.
Saint Anthony Falls, or the Falls of Saint Anthony, located at the northeastern edge of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the only natural major waterfall on the Mississippi River. Throughout the mid-to-late 1800s, various dams were built atop the east and west faces of the falls to support the milling industry that spurred the growth of the city of Minneapolis. In 1880, the central face of the falls was reinforced with a sloping timber apron to stop the upstream erosion of the falls. In the 1950s, the apron was rebuilt with concrete, which makes up the most visible portion of the falls today. A series of locks were constructed in the 1950s and 1960s to extend navigation to points upstream.
Saint Anthony Falls with the upper lock and dam, viewed from downstream
In winter
Albert Bierstadt painted The Falls of St. Anthony in 1880, creating an artist's impression of how the falls looked prior to industrialization.
Stereoscopic photograph of the suspension bridge connecting St. Anthony and Minneapolis