Grand Avenue Bridge Closed, Opened, Closed …

If you’re a tall boat wanting to pass through the Grand Avenue Bridge, it may take a bit longer these days.

An electrical problem is preventing the bridge from opening normally. While the problem is being addressed, a contractor is on hand to open the venerable span manually.

According to city spokeswoman Anna Mariotti, the problem was discovered over the holiday weekend.

That was why the bridge was briefly closed.

“A contractor is on standby to open the bridge ​‘manually’ in case of marine traffic,” Mariotti said in an email Monday morning.

She said the bridge is open today, although Monday morning around 8:45 a.m. (pictured at top of story) it did not appear to look that way.

She said that contractors are working to diagnose the problem and recommend a repair and that at this time public works officials do not anticipate the repair necessitating closing the bridge.

The iconic bridge has had a number of emergency closures over the last few years that have put the scare into neighbors. The closures have led the city to move on a $1.4 million redesign that will lead to a $24 million long-overdue repair/rehab to the historic structure, if the money can be found.

The redesign phase is scheduled to be completed this year. Click here for that story.