The Old Cedar Avenue Bridge officially opened last Friday to bicyclists and pedestrians even though it has been traveled by them for the last week and a half. This opening creates a vital link across the Minnesota River connecting the South Metro to the communities North of the River without a long roundabout detour East and West of the Eagan/Bloomington area.
I have biked this area for many years and it's really nice having a crossing over the river to the Bloomington area in which I can head anywhere in the Twin Cities via streets, trails and light rail. Not only are mountain bikers enthused about this new crossing which leads to the Mendota Trail on the Eagan side of the river and the Minnesota River Bottoms Trail, but also road cyclists that wish to ride routes that include roads on both sides of the river.
Cyclists aren't the only ones enjoying this new crossing, I have seen many walkers, runners and bird enthusiasts taking advantage of access to the Wildlife Refuge they didn't have before. The bridge is slated to remain open until the Spring of 2017 when it will close again for road construction in nearby areas reopening in the fall of 2017.
The parking lot at the base of the bridge on the Bloomington side opened last Friday as well. Now users of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge can park nearby and experience all that the Refuge has to offer.
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