St. Cloud Bridge To Be Replaced

Minnesota Transportation officials said Thursday they would start work this fall to replace the Highway 23 bridge near downtown St. Cloud. The four-lane bridge was closed abruptly last month when inspectors found at least four noticeably-bowed gusset plates. Flawed gussets are blamed in part for last year's collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis. The bridge was scheduled to be replaced in 2015. State bridge engineer Dan Dorgan said the replacement will cost about $35-Million. He said construction is to start in September and be finished by November 2009.