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City engineers present prioritized repairs after KLJ study finds corrosion, damaged piers on 3rd Street bridge
Summary
KLJ consultants told the Minot City Council the 3rd Street bridge (built 1936) remains structurally sound but shows substantial joint, bearing and pier deterioration; staff will work with DOT and BNSF on a phased repair plan and return with budget options in spring.
KLJ consultants presented a technical summary of findings and recommended follow-up for repairs to the 3rd Street bridge, telling the Minot City Council on Jan. 5 that the structure — built in 1936 and rehabilitated in 1985 — is showing significant deterioration around deck joints, bearings and multiple piers.
Jordan Gerber of KLJ, participating online, described the bridge as a four-unit structure with different superstructures across the north curve, river span and BNSF railroad crossing. He said the deck concrete itself is generally in fair condition but the bridge’s joints and seals have failed in many places, allowing salt and water infiltration that has accelerated corrosion of underlying steel elements.
Gerber detailed ‘pack rust’ at girder joints where trapped moisture between built-up steel members has caused swelling and missing rivets, and showed that separation of concrete from girders has reduced composite action, creating longer unbraced girder lengths. He pointed to spalling and delamination on multiple piers (notably Piers 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9) and areas of undermined bearing pads that will require repair work similar to work completed on Pier 3 last year.
The consultant said specialized ultrasonic testing is needed for some pin-and-hanger connections (inspections due in 2027), and that some expansion bearings have nearly exhausted their movement range, which can transfer unintended forces to the deck or substructure. A load rating completed last summer shows the bridge remains structurally sound today, but ongoing deterioration reduces long-term capacity and requires targeted repairs.
KLJ described repair techniques — including jacking the superstructure to remove load, removing loose concrete, exposing and bonding to rebar, and adding fiber-reinforced polymer protection — and identified anticipated pier repairs as work likely in 2026–2027. Several locations where work will require coordination with BNSF and rights-of-way were noted.
City staff said they will continue coordination with the North Dakota DOT and BNSF, and return in the spring with a proposed action plan and budget options for inclusion in the capital improvement program. No formal votes or funding commitments were made at the meeting.
The council thanked the consultants for the presentation and noted the bridge would be considered alongside other capital priorities in upcoming budget discussions.
