MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A portion of the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis will close in the first week of December until the spring of 2025 due to an ongoing construction project. 

What we know

The bridge is currently undergoing a major two-year construction project which started earlier this year. In April, the St. Anthony Main side of the bridge closed, but it will reopen as crews close the other side of the bridge to begin the preparation work.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) announced on Tuesday that the downtown Minneapolis side of the bridge will close starting the week of Dec. 2 until the fall of 2025. 

The reopening of the St. Anthony Main side will allow bicyclists and pedestrians to walk or bike to the middle of the bridge, and turn around at a new closure point, according to the release. 

Pedestrian and bicyclist detours 

As the downtown side is set to close, MnDOT provided a detour for those walking or biking near the bridge as people cannot cross it all the way while it’s under construction. 

The detours include:

• Pedestrian detour: SE 6th Ave. to SE 2nd St. to Central Ave./Third Ave. Bridge to S. 1st St.
• Northbound bicyclist detour: W. River Pkwy. to Portland Ave. to S. 2nd St. to Third Ave. Bridge/Central Ave. to SE University Ave. to SE 6th Ave.
• Southbound bicyclist detour: SE 6th Ave. to SE 4th St. to Central Ave./Third Ave. Bridge to S. 2nd St. to Portland Ave. to W. River Pkwy.

Background 

Over the next two years, crews are repairing and replacing stones and mortar along the entire 2,100-foot-long bridge, which will remain closed until the fall of 2025. The project is expected to wrap up by spring of 2026 and costs an estimated $35.8 million.

The Stone Arch Bridge is a Minneapolis landmark that has been around for more than 140 years, and is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  

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MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A high-profile murder conviction in Minneapolis has been overturned on appeal after a judge finds the suspect’s trial was unfair.

Drew McGinley was shot and killed in June 2021 outside the Elks Club in North Minneapolis after an unrelated vigil. Last week, an appellate court judge ruled that Deandre Turner, who was convicted of the killing and sentenced to 27 years, was deprived of a fair trial.

What was the ruling?

Appellate Judge Cochran overturned the conviction, citing evidentiary errors and prosecutorial misconduct. The decision noted that the state’s case was weak, with no forensic evidence presented—no gun, no DNA, and reliance on grainy surveillance footage. Additionally, the state improperly used an out-of-court statement where its sole witness identified the shooter at the suggestion of a police sergeant. In court, that witness denied knowing who fired the fatal shot.

Court documents say other prosecutorial errors included:

• Attorneys referring to witnesses who did not testify.
• Claiming Turner was “drunk and probably high” without proof
• Insinuating that Turner was in a gang without proof.

Context

McGinley was a respected community member who ran a T-shirt printing business and volunteered as a youth coach and mentor. He was killed after a confrontation with a former gang member.

McGinley’s death was devastating for the community.

Keith Cook, who played for McGinley, described him as a father figure, saying, “He was there for me, like for football, basketball, and my life, school.”

The case drew significant attention because it all started with an altercation between McGinley and Sharif Willis, a former gang leader turned peace activist. Willis spoke with FOX 9 during the trial, refusing to comment directly on the case, but saying: “We got to put some of these guns down, got to stop killing each other. It’s senseless, it’s useless, everybody’s a victim in this.”

What’s next?

Turner remains in prison for now.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has 30 days to appeal the appellate court’s decision or decide to re-try the case.

The office stated it is reviewing the case: “The Court of Appeals opinion is concerning, and we are in the process of reviewing the transcript before making a decision.”