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BNSF US-212 Bridge (Granite Falls)

Lost I-Beam Bridge over US Highway 212
Granite Falls, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name BNSF US-212 Bridge (Granite Falls)
Built By Great Northern Railway
Contractor American Bridge Company of New York
Currently Owned By BNSF Railway
Length 87 Feet Total, 32 Foot Largest Span
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 18 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Steel Stringer I-Beam
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1931
Date Replaced 2015
Traffic Count 0 Trains/Day (Bridge has been Replaced)
Current Status Replaced
BNSF Bridge Number 34.42
Significance Local Significance*


This three span I-Beam bridge crossed US-212 in Granite Falls for over 80 years until it was replaced.
Built in 1931, the bridge featured a trio of I-Beams on concrete substructures. The bridge was replaced in early 2015 by a modern bridge of the same design. It appears that the bridge was also raised approximately one foot at this time.
Currently, the remains of the old bridge are located just north of the bridge. It is unknown what will happen to these beams, but oftentimes they are used for temporary spans or approaches on new bridges.

The author would've ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview of the replacement structure.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Date Stamp
Contractor Missing American Bridge Company plaque
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele