Hometown Changes

We've been back in Minnesota for a little over a month now and we keep coming across changes in our small town, Stillwater, Minnesota.  The new stop lights and new roundabouts make it seems like we've been gone forever! Probably the biggest change we see is the opening of the new St. Croix Crossing Bridge and the closing of the Historic Stillwater Lift Bridge.

Folks had been talking about building a new bridge across the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway long before we moved here 27 years ago. It took an act from Congress to get permission to build it. To be honest, I really never expected it to happen but it has! I hate to admit that I was not a proponent for the new bridge because I didn't want to see the Historic Lift Bridge go away. It reminds me of home and downtown Mystic, Connecticut. I was delighted to hear that it will not only stay, it will become a biking and walking path. In addition, the lift part will continue to open for boat traffic. It's the vehicle traffic that will go away.

New St. Croix Crossing Bridge
Ribbon Cutting Aug 2, Opening Aug 3, 2017
Minnesota View from the overlook

Historic Stillwater Lift Bridge
Main Streets stairs view

Lift bridge crossing MN to WI

St Croix Crossing Bridge

Beloved History

Making our final walk across the bridge
before it is closed to car traffic

St. Croix Crossing Bridge View from Stillwater

Dave on Stillwater Lift Bridge

Stillwater lift bridge

Stillwater Lift Bridge

New Bridge view under Old Bridge

My first trip over the new bridge was on a run with my friend, Sonya. We started in Stillwater and ran along the new river trail that leads to the pedestrian path over the bridge. We ran across to the Wisconsin side then continued east about a mile to see where the trail went. It ended at the first roundabout. Eventually, it will pass through Houlton, Wisconsin then down the big hill just east of the old lift bridge. Once the new bridge is complete, there will be a biking/walking loop that runs from the lift bridge to the St. Croix Crossing Bridge and then back to Stillwater. Locals are going to love it!

Sunnyside Marina View from the new bridge

Heading East toward Wisconsin

One of the river viewing stations

View of Stillwater

Beth and Sonya selfie

Beth and Sonya

The beautiful, scenic St. Croix River separates Minnesota and Wisconsin. Some 20,000 cars crossed that lift bridge every day. Most people believe that the closing will improve traffic in downtown Stillwater and throughout our neighborhoods. So far, this has been true!