Question for all your bikers/excursionmongers who know the Bloomington area.
Old Cedar Avenue runs south of Old Shakopee Road, southwest of the Mall of America. It’s west of the current Cedar (Hwy 77). On the map, and on Google, it crosses the Minnesota River on that old box-trestle bridge that is just west of the new Cedar bridge.
Now, an Hennepin County bike map says the old trestle bridge is closed – but a look at the Google Streetview looks like it’s open.
From the looks of it, Old Cedar links up to the foot/bike path on the new Cedar bridge, which would be a VERY handy shortcut for me.
Does anyone out there know if that old bridge is actually open to bikes?
Leave a comment. Thanks!
UPDATE: Oops. Asked and answered.
There are bike and hiking paths that link to the “new” Cedar Ave. bridge, the Highway 55 bridge, etc. from just about anywhere in St. Paul/Mendota Heights/South Minneapolis. It can be a hell of a long ride, though. Depends on how much time you have, where you’re going, etc.
Erik’s Bikes (Bloomington) and even Borders Books (Richfield) have some pretty up-to-date books and materials on local paved/un-paved biking paths and stuff.
Here’s the deal; I ride to the Patriot most Saturdays – a nice 20-odd mile jaunt.
Currently, I get to Fort Snelling (either via the Minnehaha Avenue bike lane or, if I’m feeling lazy, the train), and then onto the Hwy 55 Bridge. Which works just fine, although it’s a long grind down Hwy 13 to get to the station. Being able to jaunt down Old Shakopee to Old Cedar, and then across the Minnesota, would shave a bit of time off that trip (and make biking home, across the river to maybe pick up the train at the Mall) a lot more tenable.
So how do you get to New Cedar, anyway? I haven’t found that one yet.
The path I’m thinking of isn’t for commuters at all – it’s an off-road path that takes you under 494, along the MN river, kinda – you end up back at the trail connecting to the pedestrian access for the bridge. It’s in the boonies, for sure.
I haven’t even tried it normally – on the road – so I’m not sure. There’s gotta be something online. Probably Dakota or Hennepin county bike path stuff(?)
I don’t know where the Patriot is, but there’s gotta be a way. Either way, you’re talking about quite a bike ride!
Yes, you can go down beside new Cedar on the East side, and there’s a bicycle bridge UNDER the Cedar Avenue bridge so you can cross over. Unfortunately, while the old bridge looks passable, it is blocked off to everything but (or maybe including) foot traffic. It then comes up old cedar on the west side of new cedar at 98th st. Mind you, this information is several years old. You can drive down old cedar to a little park beside the bridge and check it out.
BTW, apparently restoring the bridge was in the $6.6 Billion transportation bill. I hope it’s worth it.
The wooden deck/steel truss bridge is closed even to foot traffic, but there’s a bike crossing underslung the new Cedar avenue bridge … but … you already had that answered 🙂
I loved driving down that bridge when it was open, it was like a counterpart to the “singing bridge” that crossed the railroad yard up north Minneapolis. You’d be in the middle of Bloomington with subway sandwich shops and jiffy lubes, then down this strange little road which has grass growing in the cracks on the side and all wooded, there’s a nursery to one side. You cross this magic bridge and you’re on the edge of the river with Barges floating past you. Strange little gems in Bloomington if you poke around in the right place…