Saint Paul Celebrates the new Kellogg-3rd Street Bridge with a Community Celebration on Saturday, October 24

SAINT PAUL, MN – Saint Paul residents, businesses, and community partners are invited to celebrate the near completion of the new Kellogg-3rd Street Bridge with a community celebration and ribbon cutting event on Saturday, October 24 from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. This family-friendly event invites people to walk, bike, or roll across the new bridge. There will also be areas on the bridge deck that will feature local community organizations and businesses.

Community celebration details:

What: Kellogg-3rd Street Bridge Community Celebration and Ribbon Cutting

When: Saturday, October 24, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., 11:15 a.m. Program and Ribbon Cutting

Where: Kellogg-3rd Street Bridge, east side of the bridge near Mounds Boulevard for the ribbon cutting

Event attendees should plan to park on neighborhood streets near Mounds Boulevard and 3rd Street East. Paid parking will also be available at Union Depot or at parking meters on the west end of the bridge. Participants will need to walk up the bridge to the event if parking at/near Union Depot. 

“The Kellogg-3rd Street Bridge is a vital connection between downtown Saint Paul and the East Side," said Saint Paul Mayor Kaohly Her. “This milestone reflects years of dedication from our Public Works staff, the construction crews who carried out this complex work, our state and federal partners, and the community members whose patience and advocacy never wavered. On behalf of the City of Saint Paul, I extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who helped the city plan, fund, and build a safe, lasting bridge for generations to come. I invite all of our residents to join us as we celebrate this moment together.”

The new Kellogg-3rd Street Bridge is anticipated to open to vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists by November 15, 2026. To open the bridge as soon as possible, residents should anticipate construction activities to continue into 2027, including installing railing in some locations, landscape restoration, and other clean up activities.

An Investment in Saint Paul 

As a major regional connection, the Kellogg-3rd Street Bridge is Saint Paul's longest city-owned bridge and was the largest and most complex public infrastructure project since 1995. The bridge spans multiple road crossings, including I-94 and one of the busiest railroad track junctions in the Midwest. 

Since 2014, when a structural analysis determined that traffic should be removed from the outer portions of the bridge deck, the city permanently reduced traffic lanes and sidewalk width to ensure public safety. Shortly thereafter, Saint Paul began bridge design and engineering efforts with input from the community on some artistic elements, as well as securing the necessary funding for a new bridge.

The total funding that was secured for the three-year project was $92.7 million, including:

• $7 million Federal Regional Solicitation Grant
• $52 million 2020 State legislative bonds (direct appropriation)
• $28.5 million 2023 State legislative bonds (direct appropriation)
• $5.2 million Local funds (MSA)

Kellogg-3rd Street Bridge Connects Art, Design, and Functionally

Under the project management direction from Saint Paul Public Works Bridge Division, the city partnered with SRF Consulting as the project engineer and construction inspectors and Lunda as the project contractor to completely take down the old bridge and reconstruct a new bridge. The new Kellogg-3^rd Street Bridge is 2,107 feet long, has four lanes of vehicle traffic (two in each direction) and a barrier-separated trail on both sides of the roadway. The trails are 12 feet wide, shared by bicycles and pedestrians, and separated from vehicle traffic by a concrete barrier.

Intersections near Union Depot and at Mounds Boulevard have been reconstructed to improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians and vehicles, including rapid transit buses. 

The new bridge features artist-designed details that reflect Saint Paul’s history and culture. Artists Seitu Jones brought Saint Paul elements to life in the railing designs and Dyani White Hawk highlights the connection to Wakan Tipi below the bridge deck with designs on the piers.

Fun Facts About the Bridge Construction

• The Kellogg-3^rd Street Bridge was closed on July 29, 2024 to be removed and fully reconstructed.
• The new bridge deck was poured in nine separate events over a span of two months. Each pour lasted over 10 hours and required around 800 cubic yards of concrete (80 ready-mix cement trucks).
• The bridge deck is supported by 12 piers and two abutments. The tallest pier is 60 feet high. Its concrete volume (720 cubic yards) could cover a football field in 5 inches of concrete, and its reinforcing steel (225,000 pounds) weighs as much as about 19 elephants. 
• The longest individual span is 191 feet, over Interstate 94. Each of the 11 beams in this span are 8 feet tall and contain over 16 miles of high-strength steel wire. The wires are wrapped into bundles (strands) and pulled under high tension when the concrete is cast. This gives the beam the strength necessary to span such long distances.
• The bridge beams combined contain 1,175 miles of high-strength steel wire. This is approximately the same distance as driving one-way from Saint Paul to Austin, Texas on Interstate 35. 
• The original bridge named the “Third Street Viaduct” was built in 1930. It's 39 piers had to avoid a web of over two dozen railroad tracks that were present at the peak of the rail industry. The new bridge project unearthed several concrete foundations from the 1930 bridge. 

To learn more about the project, find event details, or watch construction progress videos visit www.stpaul.gov/kellogg-3.