Almost four months after restrictions were placed on the Washington Avenue Bridge, the University of Minnesota and Hennepin County have selected a final design for repairs to the pedestrian level. A final design option for repairs to the pedestrian level of the bridge deck has been selected, and work is set to begin in early March, Jim Grube, Hennepin County Transportation Department Director, said. Repairs to the pedestrian level will include adding cross bracing to the inner left columns supporting the bridge deck. The county has identified six locations where cross bracing will need to be added, Grube said. Extra reinforcements will also be added between segments of the pedestrian level in 14 different locations. All repairs will be done underneath the pedestrian deck, Grube said, which may lead to lane closures on the vehicle level of the bridge during construction. Traffic on the pedestrian level will not be affected further. The county and University still hope to have repairs completed by April 1, 2009. Check out Tuesday’s Daily for more.