MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Coon Rapids Opens Long-Awaited Port Riverwalk Pedestrian Bridge, Reconnecting Coon Creek Regional Trail

COON RAPIDS, MN (October 2, 2026). A long-awaited pedestrian bridge across Coon Rapids Boulevard is officially open, completing a significant missing connection in the Coon Creek Regional Trail and giving pedestrians and bicyclists a separated route across one of the city's busiest roadways.

The new steel-truss bridge carries pedestrians and cyclists across Coon Rapids Boulevard and restores a continuous regional trail connection between Bunker Hills Regional Park and the Coon Rapids Dam.

Coon Rapids announced the official opening this week after city, county and state officials gathered Tuesday at Port Riverwalk despite rainy conditions. The arched steel-truss bridge stretches between the areas near Zilla Street and Egret Boulevard and connects portions of the regional trail that previously sat on opposite sides of Coon Rapids Boulevard.

The Coon Creek Regional Trail extends between Bunker Hills Regional Park and the Coon Rapids Dam, making the bridge more than a neighborhood amenity. It closes a gap in a broader recreational transportation corridor used by walkers, runners and cyclists.

The opening also closes the book on a project that encountered an extraordinary setback before reaching completion.

The bridge structure was originally scheduled for installation in October 2025, but the span was damaged while being transported to Coon Rapids after striking another bridge. Installation was postponed while the damage was evaluated and the project schedule was reworked. MinneapoliMedia reported earlier this year that construction had entered its final phase as the city worked toward completing the crossing.

The completed bridge now physically separates trail users from vehicle traffic while crossing Coon Rapids Boulevard, improving continuity between trail segments and strengthening the connection between neighborhoods, parks and the regional trail system.

The opening represents the final public result of a project whose importance grew during the delay. Rather than requiring trail users to navigate the boulevard at street level, the new span establishes a dedicated crossing designed specifically for people walking and bicycling.

For Coon Rapids, the project also adds another link to a trail network that connects local recreation infrastructure with destinations extending well beyond the immediate Port Riverwalk area.

The city says the bridge is now open for public use.

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