Located about halfway between Faribault and Medford, this bridge crosses County Road 45.
Originally built in 1934 to cross US-65, this bridge was built with a single steel girder main span and trestle approaches. It rests on concrete and timber substructures. US-65 was decommissioned north of Albert Lea in 1980.
Grade separations like this are common. Two more existed over the same former route of US-65 in Rosemount and Inver Grove Heights. The one in Rosemount has been replaced, while the one in Inver Grove still exists.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition. The future of this line is currently unknown, although Rice County has established an authority on obtaining the railroad right of way should it ever be abandoned.
The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.