Roads and bridges
Pioneer Trail bridge improvements
Hennepin County, in partnership with the City of Eden Prairie, is reconstructing the Pioneer Trail bridge (County Road 1) between Settlement Drive and Highview Drive.
Construction updates
Late summer through fall
Construction crews are continuing to make steady progress towards completing the bridge and the project is currently on schedule to be completed this fall. Our construction crews achieved a major milestone on August 12 and 13 when bridge beams were set in place.
Crews will now focus on building the bridge deck and preparing for the concrete deck pour. If you live in the area, you can expect to see crews beginning work in the early morning on Friday, September 4.
April 29 through fall
The Pioneer Trail bridge will be closed between Settlement Drive and Highview Drive.
Trails End Road will be closed between Pioneer Trail and Explorer Trail.
April 29 through summer
The Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail underneath Pioneer Trail bridge will be closed.
Road and trail closures go into effect Wednesday, April 29, to allow construction crews to begin demolition of the existing bridge. Residents in the area can expect construction noise during this time.
Full-size Pioneer trail bridge project detour map (PNG, 2MB)
Using Pioneer Trail during construction
The bridge will reopen when work is completed in fall 2026. We are working to minimize disruption during this reconstruction.
Driving
The Pioneer Trail bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic until the conclusion of the project in fall 2026. Follow the posted detour using Eden Prairie Road, Flying Cloud Drive, and Great Plains Boulevard.
Biking
The Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail underneath the Pioneer Trail bridge will be intermittently closed to allow construction activities to occur safely. When barriers and trail closed signage are present on the trail, follow the posted detour using Pioneer Trail and Great Plains Boulevard. Signage with the bicycle detour route will be located on the trail throughout the duration of the project.
Living near the construction area
If you live near the construction area, you will have access to your home. Contact the project team with any specific concerns.
About the project
When construction is complete, the Pioneer Trail bridge will be safer and easier to use for everyone. Improvements include:
- A new bridge with one lane of traffic in each direction.
- A new shared use path on the north side of the bridge with a protective barrier for people who walk, bike, and roll.
Grant
Hennepin County has been awarded additional funding for this project through Minnesota's Local Bridge Replacement Program (LBRP).
- Grant: MnDOT Agreement No. 1062646 / SP 027-601-047 / Minn Proj No STBG 2726 (052), Local Bridge Replacement Program (LBRP), Pioneer Trail Bridge, Construct Bridge No. 27C82
- Agency Leadership: John Ekola, Bridge Division Manager, 612-596-0370, john.ekola@hennepin.us
- Grant Manager: Jake Schumacher, Professional Engineer, 612-600-2459, jake.schumacher@hennepin.us
- Contractor: Redstone Construction, LLC of Mora, Minnesota
Community involvement
We met with residents and stakeholders in 2025 and 2026 to inform the community of improvements being made to the bridge and what to expect during construction.
Related projects
Hennepin County also plans to rebuild the Eden Prairie Road (County Road 4) bridge over the railroad tracks, about half a mile north of Valley View Road in 2027.
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