This bridge is a six span deck girder bridge over Bear Creek, and is the southern crossing in Shellsburg.
The southern half of the bridge was assembled in 1902, the northern half in 1959. At some point in the late 1980s, the south end failed, resulting in a temporary jump span and pier being built. The span and pier were replaced with higher quality material in 2011.
Writing on the bridge clearly states that the northern bridge spans were moved from a bridge between Shell Rock and Waverly, Iowa in 1959. This bridge crossed the Shell Rock River, and the line was abandoned early that year. It appears that the spans were installed late in 1959.
Today the bridge is in decent condition after new bearing blocks were added to piers #2, 4 and 6. It is unknown why several spans were moved here in 1959, although derailments and floods are all possibilities. Even through the spans were moved in during the fall of 1959, the double track remained until at least 1965.
In addition, bridge also appears to have been double tracked at one point.
The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is looking from the north bank. Blueprints were supplied by TIGER and Iowa Northern Railway.