Staff photo by Fritz Busch New Ulm Gateway Project contract partners work on and around the Highway 14/15 Minnesota River Bridge in New Ulm Friday. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) reported the bridge deck is complete as well as railing on the north and south side of the traffic lanes. Decorative, outside pedestrian railing work remains. The project goal is to open the bridge to traffic by the end of the year.

NEW ULM — The Minnesota Department of Transportation and contracting partners continued work on the Highway 14/15 Minnesota River bridge in New Ulm Friday.

The highway department reported their goal is to open the bridge to traffic by the end of the year, according to a Friday news release.

The bridge deck is complete as well as railing on the north and south side of the traffic lanes. Time-consuming, decorative outside pedestrian railing work remains.

All work requires a plastic enclosure to house and heat concrete.

In addition to forming and pouring more railing for the 564-foot long bridge, the pedestrian railing includes 6 pedestals with lighting electrical work needed to be built independently.

Two weeks of cure time is required before the decorative steel railing, (similar to the Front Street Bridge) can be installed.

Highway 14 and 15 travelers heading west into New Ulm are detoured on the 20th Street S. bridge.

The new Highway 14/15 interchange opened Aug. 19 with the exception of the west leg into New Ulm that requires crossing the Minnesota River.

Minnesota River bridge construction experienced lengthy delays in 2018 and 2019, due largely to high river levels. The original project completion date was set for June 2020. Finishing work will need to take place next spring.

The New Ulm Gateway Project addresses intersection safety, aging bridges, poor pavement conditions and occasional road flooding around New Ulm.

Construction began in 2017. Most of the work and detours took place in 2018 and 2019.

More information and a webcam can be found at www.mndot.gov/newulm.

For updated road information, call 511 or visit 222.511mn.org