Dan Patch Line Bridge

Located between Savage and Bloomington, this large through truss swing bridge crosses the Minnesota River. Constructed in 1910, the bridge features a 250-foot through truss swing span, featuring two halves joined by a tower over a center concrete pier. Each half consists of a 5-panel riveted Pratt through truss. The end piers of the swing span consist of tubular steel piles set onto concrete. The bridge was originally approached by a wooden trestle span on either side. While initially intended to carry two tracks, the space for the second track was operated as a public roadway. Due to the corrosive nature of roadway salt on steel bridges, the salt seriously deteriorated the steel components of the bridge. In the 1980s, the highway was closed and the highway decks removed. The approaches of the bridge would later be rebuilt with continuous steel stringer spans, set onto timber pile substructures.

The main truss of the bridge is one of relatively few remaining swing spans in Minnesota, and the only remaining operational swing span across the Minnesota River. The truss span of the bridge was reportedly built by Minneapolis Steel & Machinery Company, which also built other bridges for the MN&S. The bridge is currently owned by Twin Cities & Western Railroad, which purchased the bridge to access the Port of Savage. Numerous upgrades have been made to the bridge in recent years, including replacing pier #2 with a steel pile structure, reinforcing the truss and center pier of the bridge, and other improvements. As of 2023, railroad service across the bridge has not resumed. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with some deterioration noted from flooding. The author has ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the truss design and lack of swing spans in Minnesota.