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Council approves concept plan, establishes aesthetics group for Lips Lake bridge replacement
Summary
The council approved a concept plan for the Lips Lake bridge replacement (Project No. 29608), authorized preparation of plans and specs and easement acquisition, and established a bridge aesthetics focus group to advise on railing, architectural details and color as staff pursues grant funding for a possible 2029 construction window.
The Minnetonka City Council voted to approve the concept plan for the Lips Lake (referred to in the packet as Libs/Lips Lake) bridge replacement and authorized staff to prepare plans and specifications, pursue easement acquisition and create a bridge aesthetics focus group. Mr. Manchester and project lead Phil Olsen presented two concept alternatives (piers in the channel vs. piers out of the channel), and staff noted the existing bridge was built in 1969 and is reaching the end of its useful life.
Mr. Manchester told the council that the proposed concept would widen the bridge by about two feet and could raise the deck height modestly (staff indicated roughly a one‑foot increase was likely without significant property impacts). “We narrowed it down to two bridge concepts,” Mr. Manchester said, adding the city will seek MnDOT and other grant cycles beginning in early 2027 to fund the work. Council members discussed neighborhood preferences for increased clearance and the tradeoffs with property impacts before adopting the resolution.
