A section of the Bruce Vento Regional Trail through Swede Hollow Park remains closed while St. Paul, Ramsey County and state transportation officials evaluate the historic stone structure above it.
The city and county closed the trail beneath East Seventh Street on Aug. 5 because of concerns about falling debris from the Seventh Street Improvement Arches. The closure is in effect until further notice.
Pedestrians and bicyclists are being directed to a posted detour along Payne Avenue and Beaumont Street East while engineers study the structure. The city, county and Minnesota Department of Transportation said they are also considering temporary measures that could allow the trail to reopen safely.
The closure affects a heavily used connection through Swede Hollow Park that provides access to Wakan Tipi and other regional trails.
“We recognize this unexpected closure will be an inconvenience for many enjoying various park amenities and traveling through the area,” St. Paul City Engineer Nick Peterson said in announcing the closure. He urged trail users to follow the marked detour.
The Seventh Street Improvement Arches date to 1884. The bridge was constructed primarily from locally quarried limestone and is regarded as an unusual surviving example of 19th-century stone-arch engineering.
Ramsey County Public Works Director Brian Isaacson said safety would remain the priority as engineers determine the condition of the structure and what repairs or other work may be needed.
As of the city’s most recent closure update, officials had not announced a reopening date.
Current information is available on St. Paul’s parks and trail closures page at stpaul.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/special-notices-closures.
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