Posted at: 11/04/2009 2:06 PM | KSAX.com
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Wis., Minn. Brief Public on New St. Croix Bridge

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Back-to-back meetings will provide Wisconsin and Minnesota residents an update on a long-planned St. Croix River bridge project.

Public information meetings are scheduled for Wednesday evening in Houlton, Wis., and Thursday evening in Oak Park Heights, Minn. They're the next steps in developing design and construction plans for a new bridge intended to reduce traffic on the historic Stillwater lift bridge.

Construction could begin in 2013 and is expected to take a few years. Cost estimates for the proposed bridge and related work on either end are approaching $670 million.

Officials have been considering whether and how to build a replacement bridge in the area since the early 1970s. Finances and environmental concerns have long been stumbling blocks.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)