Shooting Star State Trail - Little Iowa River Bridge
Replacement of a shared use, trail and vehicular traffic, bridge over the Little Iowa River within the boundaries of Lake Louise State Park.
The Shooting Star State Trail currently extends 18 miles between the communities of LeRoy and Rose Creek, Mower County, utilizing former railroad grade through sections and traversing largely agricultural uplands through the remainder. Within Lake Louise State Park the state trail shares a the crossing of the Little (Upper) town River with a Park vehicle traffic. The existing bridge has been inspected and recommended for replacement due to the structural deterioration and to reduce flooding impacts due to the existing bridge's low height. The existing bridge is to be replaced with a historic vehicle bridge, a structure that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is a cooperative project with the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The historic bridge structure is to be subject to complete restoration prior to installation within Lake Louise State Park. The installation of the refurbished historic bridge is scheduled to be complete and open for trail and park use by 9/1/12.
Replacement of the early twentieth century vehicle bridge which carried the Shooting Star State Trail and State Park vehicle traffic over the Little Iowa River within the boundaries of Lake Louise State Park. The existing vehicle bridge is a steel Pratt through truss that is approximately 100 years old. This structure has been inspected and recommended for replacement. The bridge is to be replaced with a historic vehicular bridge recently removed from a MnDOT administered highway. This former highway bridge is a historic wrought iron and steel through truss considered eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
The demolition of the existing State Park vehicle bridge was completed during September 2011 and the installation of the replacement 100 foot long single span steel truss bridge is to be complete and open for vehicle and trail use by 1 September 2012.