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BNSF Forest River Bridge (Minto)

Through Plate Girder Bridge over Forest River
Minto, Walsh County, North Dakota

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name BNSF Forest River Bridge (Minto)
Built By Great Northern Railway
Contractor Unknown
Currently Owned By BNSF Railway
Length 72 Feet Total
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Through Plate Girder
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1907
Traffic Count 2 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
BNSF Bridge Number 30.19
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date August 2020


Located in Minto, this through girder bridge crosses the Forest River above a small lowhead dam.
Built in 1907, the bridge features a single through plate girder span, set onto concrete substructures. This bridge follows a standard design for Great Northern bridges.
This style bridge was commonly used to replace older trestles and wooden truss bridges, as girder bridges such as this were easy to construct and maintain. Great Northern upgraded many bridges in this area between 1907-08.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no major deterioration noted. However, there is a significant amount of spalling on the bridge. The abutments have also been reinforced with sheet pile.

The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Great Northern Railroad Bridge Records at the Minnesota Historical Society
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele