TACONITE TRAIL— A new bridge crossing over the East Two River southeast of Soudan should give snow machine riders a smoother and safer crossing than in the past. Work on the new engineered bridge, located about 50 feet upstream from the old crossing, was declared substantially complete as of last Friday, when DNR staff and an engineer visited the project.
The old bridge crossing was built decades ago at a time when DNR work crews hand-built the structures with railroad timbers and heavy planks. “They’re not technically rated,” said Tower Area Parks and Trails Manager Joe Majerus. The bridges are periodically inspected and are rated based on their condition and they are replaced as funds become available. According to Majerus, a variety of funding sources are tapped for such projects. This particular project came with a price tag of $481,000. The Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources paid for the bridge design while Minnesota Legacy funds paid for the construction.
While the bridges are sometimes replaced during the warmer months, Majerus said the nature of this crossing required it be done over the winter. Whether the new bridge will see much traffic yet this winter remains to be seen. This week’s mild weather won’t help the trail conditions, although extended forecasts suggest more snow and more seasonable temperatures next week.