CPKC Whitewater River Bridge (Weaver)

Located along US Highway 61 near Weaver, this through plate girder bridge carries the CPKC River Subdivision across the Whitewater River. The previous bridge here was a two span through truss bridge, constructed in 1892. It is believed that this bridge also had a pair of 32-foot and a 37-foot deck plate girder approach. In 1910, the bridge was replaced by the current bridge. The current bridge was built using two 85-foot "C-4" through plate girder spans, set onto concrete substructures. The bridge is approached by nine standard concrete slab spans on the east end. On the west end, the bridge is approached by a 24-foot and two 32-foot spans, and a 15-foot concrete slab span. The eastbound track utilized secondhand deck plate girders from the previous bridge for the 32-foot spans, and the westbound spans utilized a steel stringer design.

Oftentimes, railroads would reuse steel spans to help save costs. It is somewhat unusual to see spans like that installed on a mainline bridge, such as this. The truss spans from the previous bridge were sent to the Cheyenne River and Moreau Rivers near Mobridge, South Dakota; and both have since been scrapped. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen a number of upgrades. The eastbound approach deck girder spans may have been rehabilitated or replaced, but flooding made proper inspection of this bridge impossible. In addition, some of the slabs on the east end have been repaired. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.