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| Name | BNSF Gowan Avenue Bridge Great Northern Railway Bridge #50.3 |
| Built By | Great Northern Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 120 Feet Total, 60 Foot Spans |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 30 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1926 |
| Traffic Count | 15 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Great Northern Railway Bridge Number | 50.3 |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 50.3 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 1/7/2014 |
In 1867, the First Division of The St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company constructed 14.70 miles of new railroad between Minneapolis, Minnesota and Lake Junction (Wayzata). Work would continue westward in 1868, with an additional 29 miles constructed to Howard Lake, Minnesota. Work resumed in 1869, with 49 more miles constructed, reaching Willmar, Minnesota. Work resumed in 1870, with 31 more miles constructed to Benson, and an additional 81 miles would be constructed to Breckenridge, Minnesota; located on the western Minnesota border. The railroad would be sold to the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway (StPM&M) in 1879.
During the 1880s, the StPM&M would acquire and construct a large amount of railroad lines throughout Minnesota. Owned by railroad magnate James J. Hill, the railroad would continue to grow into the 1890s, before being sold to the Great Northern Railway (GN) in 1907. The GN, like the StPM&M, was owned by James J. Hill, and the railroad would eventually reach the Pacific Coast at Seattle in 1893. The GN utilized this as a mainline, connecting the railroad town of Willmar to the Twin Cities, and to agricultural markets in Western Minnesota. In 1970, GN merged with rival Northern Pacific Railway and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad to form Burlington Northern Railroad. BN was in turn merged with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in 1996, to form BNSF Railway. BNSF currently operates the Minneapolis to Willmar portion of this line as the Wayzata Subdivision.
Located west of Waverly, this deck plate girder bridge crosses Gowan Avenue and Twelvemile Creek alongside US Highway 12. The previous bridge here was a three span deck plate girder viaduct, constructed in 1899. By 1926, the previous structure had become too light for traffic, and would be replaced by the current bridge. The current bridge consists of two 60-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto concrete substructures, which also incorporate the old abutments into the structure. This style of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, due to the ease of construction and durability. Overall, this bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build Date | Date Stamp |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |