This large and prominent Pratt Through Truss Bridge crosses the Des Moines River near its mouth with the Mississippi River.
The current bridge was built in 1903. The railroad constructed it, but shared joint costs with the counties which constructed a road inside the truss.
Roads utilizing railroad bridges are not commonly seen on smaller crossings, albeit this is not a small crossing. The road was removed from the railroad approximately the time the United States Highway System came into creation in 1926. The route would become designated as US-61 and US-136.
The bridge is constructed with 6 large Pratt Through Truss spans. These massively built up spans feature heavily reinforced pinned connections. It features a combination of 7 and 8-Panel trusses.
The spans are set onto concrete substructures. The spans feature a heavy skew to combat the rapid flow and harsh angle of the Des Moines River. In addition, the bridge features an M-Frame Portal bracing, not commonly seen on bridges of this age.
One thing is clear. The bridge was built sparing no expense. In 1903, this design of bridge would have been considered downright state-of-the-art.
The author has ranked this structure as having moderate significance, due to the unique design of the bridge. It is hoped this bridge will serve traffic for years to come.
The photo above is an overview.
| Upstream | BNSF Des Moines River Bridge (Argyle) |
| Downstream | Confluence with Mississippi River |