Take that bridge when you get there

November 5, 8:48 AMSouth St. Paul ExaminerRob Shirk

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                  St. Paul's Robert Street Bridge

There are many pathways and trails in the state of Minnesota and  we get a bonus of walking or driving over some of the bridges over the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers right here in the Twin Cities.

Bridges are generally noticed only with notoriety or beauty and those of us living in the SE Metro have a number of bridges to appreciate or fear as we make our way north to downtown St. Paul.

The Lafayette Bridge is, by far, the busiest of the spans from the south to downtown. It is also one of the longest at 3375 feet. The bridge spans across railroad yards north of the Mississippi, the river itself, and industrial areas south of the Mississippi. It is part of Hwy 52  and carries about 81,000 vehicles a day. It is classified as "fracture critical" meaning that if one part fails, the whole shebang goes with it.  The structure carries a lower sufficiency rating than the collapsed I-35 bridge had in Minneapolis.

The aesthetics of the Lafayette were designed as minimal and it carries little or none of the "Wow" factor. However, when you find yourself driving south at night and if you glance right, the lights of the Robert St. and Wabasha St. Bridge reflects beautifully alongside the skyline. There is no walkway, unfortunately.

The Robert Street bridge is a combination of form and function. Walking the span from either side is enjoyable as one side has the city, with its marvelously compact skyline. The barges, trees, and bluffs welcome you to the "west side" which is curiously located directly south of downtown. Having to span 2nd St., a railroad lift bridge, and the Mississippi River was an engineer's nightmare, but the rainbow arch and the native stone helped land it on the National Register of Historic Places. The Wabasha Bridge gives the best spot to gaze at it but the walkway provided on the Robert Street Bridge is spacious and comfortable.

One of the newest links to downtown is the Wabasha Street span, connecting downtown to the Harriet Island Park. This is a pedestrian delight as people can make their way down a set of stairs to the river with its riverboats, pavilions, and parks. There has been a bridge of some sort here since St. Paul was known as Pig's Eye Landing, and the latest structure is generally held as a safe, clean, well lit connection. It is the best bridge to get a close up view of the St. Paul skyline, the other bridges, and the parks of the west side.

The Smith Ave. High Bridge, at 160 feet, is the tallest bond in St. Paul and without question the most famous due to its history of suicides. The City Pages newspaper ran a featured article in February of 2008 about people who have been affected by the souls who have jumped and one who, miraculously,  survived. For those interested in a more optimistic take, the view is spectacular from Cherokee Park north to downtown. The bridge has a splendid walkway and the ornamental ironwork is taken from the old bridge that was demolished in 1985 and reopened in 1987.

When hiking in Minnesota, the options are plentiful and although the great outdoors outside the city is well documented, the strolls along the city byways catch many people off-guard. The bridges, going into St. Paul from the south for instance, are stories unto themselves.