Lowry Avenue Bridge Costs Skyrocket

It took four-and-a-half years, but the Lowry Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis is expected to open in October.

It was originally expected to cost $36 million. But, the Hennepin County project has ballooned to $104 million, financed by taxpayer-backed bonds.

Part of the extra cost, county officials say, is the fact they had to build a second, approach bridge to the bigger Lowry Bridge. County Commissioners say that doubled the construction costs.

But, Commissioners also say they spent extra money on a prettier, tied-arch design than just a regular freeway-style bridge.

Hennepin County Commissioner, Peter McGlaughlin tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the extra money for a prettier bridge will pay off when hundreds of millions of dollars are invested in real estate deals for businesses, condos and apartments when the tied-arch bridge opens in a couple months.

McGlaughlin told us it would have been cheaper to build a regular freeway-style bridge, but this will be good for North and Northeast Minneapolis.

The tied-arch design cost about $12 million more than a regular, freeway-style bridge.