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UP 35th Street Bridge

Deck Plate Girder Bridge over South 35th Street
Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name UP 35th Street Bridge
Built By Union Pacific Railroad
Contractor (Northern 3 Tracks) Lassig Bridge & Iron Works of Chicago
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad
Length (Northern 3 Tracks) 90 Feet Total, 46 Foot Main Span
Length (Southern 4 Tracks) 100 Feet Total, 46 Foot Main Span
Width 7 Tracks, 5 In Use
Height Above Ground 25 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Type Concrete and Steel Tower
Date Built 1900
Traffic Count 35 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
UP Bridge Number 1.46
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date October 2019


Located near I-29, this large deck girder bridge crosses South 35th Street.
Built in 1900, the bridge features three deck girder spans, set onto steel towers and concrete abutments. These spans follow a typical viaduct construction, likely due to the size of the fill as the line approaches the Missouri River Bridge, located just to the west.
Because the bridge is so wide, there are several different designs of towers seen throughout the bridge. This may also imply that the bridge was built at different times. Further implying this, the southern tracks are actually about 10 feet longer than the northern spans, which contain the 1900 plaque.
More unique details can be found on the bridge, such as the cantilevered ends of the second track from the south.
It is unknown when the southern spans would have been built. The southern tracks are leads into the yard to the east, and appear to be similar in age to the northern spans.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, and appears to be well maintained.

The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Plaque
Contractor Plaque
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele