One of four bridges and tunnels at Westminster Junction, this stone arch tunnel is the southeastern of the four remaining structures.
Built for a connecting track between the Omaha Road and Northern Pacific to cross another Northern Pacific track, the bridge currently carries a Union Pacific/BNSF track over a BNSF track.
Built in 1889, this is classified as a tunnel, due to the length of 267 feet. The tunnel has also appeared to been rebuilt, including a new floor and drainage system.
This tunnel is officially as being tunnel #1 in a Northern Pacific bridge book. At one time, five total tunnels existed at Westminster Street. Today, four remain.
Better photos of this tunnel are a must; however, due to the dangerous nature of active railroad tracks and trespassing, the bridge could not be completely documented.
Overall, the bridge appears to remain in great condition, and should continue to serve traffic for many years to come.
A sign at the junction indicates that these four tunnels were vital to the growth of the St. Paul railroad network. Before the construction of this two level junction, a major bottleneck existed.
The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the economic impact these four tunnels had on the City of St. Paul and the railroad companies that built them.
The photo above is an overview.