ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a permit to the Minnesota Department of Transportation to complete the new St. Croix Crossing south of Stillwater.

The permit includes two authorizations under the federal Rivers and Harbors Act and the Clean Water Act. Both authorizations were required because the construction involves work within the St. Croix River, a navigable water of the United States, and wetlands.

The project includes building a new four-lane highway across the river between Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Foundation work will start next month and be completed in early summer 2014. Construction of the bridge superstructure is scheduled to start in 2014.

The project will replace the 80-year-old Stillwater Lift Bridge with a four-lane bridge connecting expressways on both sides of the river.

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