St. Croix Crossing No-Wake Zone Extended For 'Safety Purposes'

STILLWATER, MN — The no-wake zone surrounding the newly opened St. Croix Crossing will remain in place until mid‐September. Due to safety concerns, MnDOT and WisDOT will extend the northern limits of the no-wake zone this week. The southern limits of the current no-wake zone will not change.

Safety issues that require extending the no-wake zone include the acceleration and deceleration of boats near Sunnyside Marina docks, where members board and disembark their watercraft. Remaining construction on the St. Croix River includes installing navigational lights and aesthetic lighting underneath the bridge.

The restriction is necessary to protect construction workers elevated on aerial lifts during electrical installation, officials said in a news release. Crews will also begin to remove the temporary dock walls south of the bridge in the coming weeks. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Minnesota Patch, click here to find your local Minnesota Patch. Also, follow us on Facebook, and if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

The dock walls, which were used to transfer construction materials such as concrete and aerial lifts from trucks to boats, contain sheet piling and rock that must be removed from the river. The no-wake zone prevents waves that could spread sediment outside of the containment area, and helps prevent disruption and injury during demolition.

“Safety is always our first priority,” said Paul Kivisto, St. Croix Crossing Bridge Construction Manager in a statement. “We ask for river users to respect the no wake zone as construction wraps up on the water.”

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