ST. CLOUD — The historic "Old Sartell Bridge" that's been closed since the 1980s will reopen as a pedestrian walkway this month.
The steel camelback truss bridge, which spans the Mississippi River and connects the eastern and western parts of Sartell, was built in 1914, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. After the bridge closed in 1984, the deck was replaced with a narrow eight-foot-wide timber walkway enclosed in fencing. Because the bridge carried utility lines for the east side of Sartell, the city maintained the bridge while it was closed.
The bridge connects to a trail on the west side of the river and the former Verso Paper mill site on the east side of the river. The former paper mill site is being marketed for redevelopment.
City officials are hosting a reopening event with a bridge-lighting ceremony at 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 9 as part of the city's Summerfest celebration.
