Located in the heart of Des Moines, the appropriately named Red Bridge has long been a staple of the Des Moines riverfront.
The first bridge here was a timber bridge. That bridge was renewed in 1891 by a three span, 6-panel pin connected Pratt Through Truss, set onto steel caisson piers.
The first significant alteration of the bridge came in 1905, when the Des Moines Bridge & Iron Works designed a 67 foot long deck girder span for the west end, as well as a new concrete abutment.
During the 1930s, various plans were made to replace the bridge with a double track girder bridge. However, these plans never came to fruition.
On December 20th, 1944; a train load shifted, destroying the easternmost truss span. This span was replaced with trestle, while a permanent solution could be found. The following summer, a 78 foot long through plate girder span was installed, fabricated by Stupp Brothers Bridge & Iron Company. A short 25 foot long stringer span was also added to the east end. These spans sat on timber piles. It is unknown where this span came from, but plans provided for this bridge strongly indicate it may be a secondhand span.
During 1948-49, the west end of the bridge was again extended with a concrete span, to cross Riverside Drive. This span was expanded again in the 1950s.
Due to the low clearance nature of the bridge, the laced heel bracings on the portal were replaced by the angle bracing in 1987.
When the bridge was abandoned in 1996, it was decided to save the bridge for pedestrian usage. The first phase was to remove the railroad ties and sandblast the lead paint from the bridge.
The second phase of rehabilitation involved replacing the west end over Riverside Drive. By 2004, the bridge would be nearly finished, and open to pedestrians. The original west approach was replaced by a new steel stringer span.
Further work came in 2012, when the west end of the bridge was again reconstructed and raised. Another raise occurred in 2017, when the east end of the bridge was rebuilt with new concrete substructures.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in excellent condition, and should survive for generations to come.
The author has rated the bridge as being regionally significant, due to the historic nature of the trusses.
The photo above is an overview. The photo below shows truss bracings. These photos were taken in 2015, prior to the reconstruction of the bridge; and 2017, after the reconstruction.
| Upstream | Birdland Park Railroad Bridge |
| Downstream | IAIS Des Moines River Bridge |
