MnDOT closes Highway 43 bridge over Mississippi at Winona

The Highway 43 bridge, which was built in 1941, is the only Mississippi River crossing at Winona, and its closure is expected to cause significant disruptions.

The Associated Press

6/4/2008

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Department of Transportation abruptly closed the Highway 43 bridge over the Mississippi River at Winona indefinitely Tuesday after inspectors discovered rust and corrosion found in gusset plates at several locations earlier in the day.

"This is clearly a precautionary measure," Transportation Commissioner Tom Sorel said at a hastily called news conference at city hall Tuesday night. "We're erring on the side of public safety."

The bridge could remain closed for several weeks, said Kristine Hernandez, a MnDOT spokeswoman.

The Highway 43 bridge, which was built in 1941, is the only Mississippi River crossing at Winona, and its closure is expected to cause significant disruptions.

"There's a significant number of people from Wisconsin who work here ... and we get a lot of people who come here to shop," Mayor Jerry Miller said. "This will put a bit of a wrinkle into things."

MnDOT began an inspection of the gusset plates on the steel truss bridge Monday as part of its statewide look at all bridges with gusset plates. Gussets hold together a bridge's beams and a design flaw with them is suspected in the deadly collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis last year.

In addition to rust and corrosion, MnDOT officials said there appears to be some buckling of a gusset plate in one location on the deck truss portion of the Winona bridge. Inspections have not yet been completed on the main span. Inspections of the gussets will continue through June 6.