Fridley City Council Greenlights Partnership With Anoka County For Major 44th Avenue NE Improvements

Fridley City Council Greenlights Partnership With Anoka County For Major 44th Avenue NE Improvements

FRIDLEY, Minn. (MinneapoliMedia) – June 1, 2025 – The City of Fridley is moving forward with significant enhancements to key infrastructure, as the Fridley City Council recently approved a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with Anoka County for the 44th Avenue NE Bridge Rehabilitation and Trail Improvements project. This collaborative effort aims to improve safety, connectivity, and longevity for a vital city corridor.

The project, already underway with construction expected to continue through November 2025, focuses on the 44th Avenue NE (CSAH 2) bridge over the BNSF Northtown Rail Yard and the adjacent roadway between East River Road and Main Street NE.

Key components of the comprehensive project include:

• Bridge Rehabilitation: Addressing structural deficiencies of the existing bridge, originally constructed in the 1970s. The rehabilitation work is expected to extend the bridge's lifespan by an additional 50 years.
• Multi-Use Trail Creation: Development of a new multi-use trail along 44th Avenue NE, connecting East River Road and Main Street NE. This directly addresses a trail gap identified in the City of Fridley's 2040 Comprehensive Plan and its 2020 Active Transportation Plan, significantly improving bikeability and walkability in the area.
• Pavement Reconstruction: Reconstruction of the pavement approaching the bridge to ensure a smoother and more durable road surface.
• Signal Replacement: Upgrades to the traffic signal system at the intersection of 44th Avenue NE and East River Road.

Anoka County is the lead agency for the construction, working in close partnership with the City of Fridley and BNSF Railroad. The Anoka County Board of Commissioners formally approved the project on March 11, 2025. The overall estimated cost for the "2025 CSAH 2 Bridge Bike/Trail Improvements" is listed at $16,019,000, with funding sourced from federal aid (secured through the Metropolitan Council's 2022 Regional Solicitation), county transportation taxes, and state funds. Specifically, $2,015,200 in federal funding was awarded for the bike/pedestrian trail component for 2024, which is part of the larger 2025 construction phase.

The project necessitated a full closure of the 44th Avenue NE bridge, which began in late March 2025 and is expected to last through November 2025. Detour routes have been established and communicated to the public.

Public engagement has been a component of the project planning, with open houses held to inform residents and gather feedback. Anoka County has been providing regular updates on the project's progress through its "Construction Weekly" communications. The project's construction manager is Chris Osterhus (763-324-3189) from the Anoka County Highway Department.

The approval of the JPA by the Fridley City Council solidifies the city's commitment to this crucial infrastructure upgrade, which will benefit motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians for decades to come. While the exact date of the Fridley City Council vote to approve the JPA for this specific project in May 2025 was not pinpointed in the available records, such agreements are standard procedure for projects of this nature involving multiple government entities. City Council meetings in Fridley were scheduled for May 12 and May 27, 2025.

MinneapoliMedia will continue to monitor the progress of the 44th Avenue NE Bridge and Trail Improvements project.

MinneapoliMedia