This large through truss bridge once crossed the Cuivre River in Old Monroe, parallel to the old MO-79 Bridge.
The massive Through Truss bridge contained 3 spans. The end spans were each 5 panels, while the middle span was 7 panels. All spans contained pinned connections. In addition, the bridge was set exclusively on concrete substructures.
Erected by American Bridge Company in 1901, the design follows the likeness of many other similar structures along the line. These designs were simple, economical and commonly used by the CB&Q. Today, vast numbers of them survive on former CB&Q mainlines; although BNSF has been moving rapidly in the last decade to replace such structures.
Overall, the bridge appeared to be in fair condition when documented in June 2016. Additional heel bracing was added in the portals within the in the late 2000s to help strengthen the bridge.
The author has ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the large scale erection of the structure. The bridge was also older than similar structures, and features a much more unique combination of spans.
The photo above is an overview. Unfortunately, this bridge is another example of railroad trusses being replaced.
As of 2019, the bridge is being replaced by a new structure. It was finally removed in early June 2020, when the new bridge opened to traffic.
A link showing the removal pictures can be found below: