Located just upstream of Hennepin Avenue, this bridge was the location of the first railroad bridge in Minneapolis; a two span wooden Howe Through Truss built in 1867.
That bridge lasted until 1893, when it was replaced by a combination deck girder and through truss bridge. This bridge lasted until 1926, when the current bridge was constructed.
In 1926, a new six span deck girder bridge was built reusing some of the old stone piers, as well as new concrete piers. In addition, a curved track was added from the west end of the bridge to serve the Great Northern Depot.
It is unknown what the entire scope of the 1926 work was. The eastbound track has at least one span with a "twinned" design, accomplished by adding two extra girders for additional strength. It is unknown if this alteration was original to the 1926 project, or if it was a later alteration. It may be possible that many components of this bridge are older than 1926.
Further alterations were made in 1963, when a heavy 7-panel, riveted Baltimore Petit Through Truss was added to the bridge, as part of a navigation project above St. Anthony Falls.
An extension was made to the bridge in 1987, when two steel stringer spans on concrete substructures were added across West River Parkway, and the original spur to the GN Depot was removed. The most recent alterations were made in September 2008, when the east approach was replaced by modular concrete spans as part of the Northstar Commuter Line retrofits for this bridge.
Despite the bridge being a major crossing of the Mississippi River and used by both BNSF and Twin Cities & Western; little is known about the true extent of the history of the bridge. Prior to the final 2008 modification, the bridge consisted of:
2-43' Steel Stringers
73', 82', 100' Deck Girders
1-171' Riveted Baltimore Through Truss
1-35' Deck Girder
The eastern deck girders were clearly remodeled and strengthened, and possibly moved here from another location. This span was scrapped upon replacement, unlike the spans from the East Channel Bridge, replaced at the same time.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, and well maintained. The author is working to find more history on the bridge.
The photo above is an overview.
| Upstream | BNSF Mississippi River Bridge (Minneapolis) |
| Upstream (East Channel) | Boom Island Pedestrian Bridge |
| East Channel | Abandoned East Channel Bridge |
| East Channel | BNSF East Channel Bridge |
| Downstream | Third Avenue Bridge |
Detail Photos
