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| Name | BNSF Maryland Avenue Bridge Northern Pacific Railway Bridge #3 |
| Built By | Northern Pacific Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 113 Feet Total, 39 Foot Main Spans |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 13 Feet 9 Inches |
| Superstructure Type | Concrete Encased Beam and Concrete Slab |
| Substructure Type | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1929 |
| Traffic Count | 50 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | Open to Traffic |
| Northern Pacific Railway Bridge Number | 3 |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 3.7 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/8/2015 |
In 1885, the Saint Paul and Northern Pacific Railway Company (StP&NP) began construction on five separate lines in Minneapolis. Line "A" would extend from Seventh Street in St. Paul to 20th Street in Minneapolis, crossing the Mississippi River twice. Line "B" would extend from St. Anthony Junction (near present day MN-280 and Kasota Avenue) to Northtown Junction. Line "C" would extend along Ramsey Street from Line "A" to Plymouth Avenue. Line "D" consisted of a 1 mile long industrial line along 2nd Street. Line "E" consisted of a connection between Line "A" and Line "C" along Mulberry Street. Work on the five lines would be completed in 1886.
The StP&NP would be purchased by the Northern Pacific Railway (NP) in 1896. NP continued to operate these lines as part of their vast Twin Cities network. Portions of line "C" would be abandoned in the 1960s. In 1970, NP would merge with rival Great Northern Railway and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy to form Burlington Northern Railroad (BN). Line "E" would be abandoned during the 1970s. Portions of line "A" through downtown Minneapolis were removed during the 1980s, and Bridge #9 was purchased by the City of Minneapolis for trail use. In 1996, BN merged with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway to form BNSF Railway. BNSF currently owns line "A" and line "B" as part of the St. Paul Subdivision. The northern portions of Line "A" are also used by BNSF as a spur to serve the Cemstone plant. Lines "C" and "D" have largely been developed, and line "E" has become part of a trail.
Located on the west side of St. Paul, this concrete encased beam bridge carries the BNSF St. Paul Subdivision over Maryland Avenue. Built in 1929 to replace an older through girder bridge, this bridge features two 39-foot concrete encased beam spans, approached by a concrete slab span on either end. The bridge rests on decorative concrete substructures, and runs at a significant 54-degree skew. This style of bridge was commonly used throughout the 1920s and 1930s in large cities across the United States, as it was durable, economical and provided some aesthetic features. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with some deterioration noted throughout the bridge. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build Date | St. Paul Division Bridge Book at the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association Archives |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |