Hwy 243/Osceola Bridge Public Meeting
Wednesday, May 10
5-7 p.m. (Short presentation at 5:15 p.m.)
Osceola Village Board Room
310 Chieftain St., Osceola, WI
More information

The Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation are holding a public meeting to discuss the planned replacement of the Highway 243 bridge over the St. Croix River in three years. The project leaders say they will go over different options for the design and answer questions.

The project is currently in the final phase of a three-step design process, as the agencies pick a preferred alternative from three options.

“The project team is currently in step three, which involves extensive evaluation of the three remaining alternatives including a more detailed and refined assessment of the road design and structure,” MnDOT says. “The team will consider geology, trails and road width and the impacts to the St. Croix River, the Wilke Glen Cascade Falls area and area bluffs.”

Alignment alternatives

The alternatives at this point focus on possible alignments for the bridge. The south option would intrude slightly on Osceola Landing, the busy river access site, and require cutting into a cliff on the Wisconsin side that is habitat for imperiled bats. The north alignment could be disruptive to Cascade Falls and Wilke Glen, the gorge between the falls and the St. Croix. The existing alignment option would not require significant additional space, but would likely result in longer bridge closures during construction.

All three designs under consideration also include a walking and biking path along the highway and across the bridge, providing safe pedestrian access that does not currently exist.

The existing Highway 243 bridge is 70 years old. It has been poorly rated for its condition and has required extensive maintenance and repairs in recent years. The two states plan to begin the replacement project in 2026.