I-90 Mississippi River Bridge

Last updated
I-90 Mississippi River Bridge
I-90 Mississippi bridge 2023.jpg
Dresbach Bridge carrying I-90 across the Mississippi River from Minnesota
Coordinates 43°51′28″N91°17′57″W / 43.85778°N 91.29917°W / 43.85778; -91.29917 Coordinates: 43°51′28″N91°17′57″W / 43.85778°N 91.29917°W / 43.85778; -91.29917
Carries4 lanes of I-90.svg I-90
Crosses Mississippi River
Locale Dresbach, Minnesota to La Crosse, Wisconsin
Official nameThe Dresbach Bridge [1]
Maintained by Minnesota Department of Transportation
ID number B-32-0045 (Wisconsin), 9320 (Minnesota) (previous bridge)
Characteristics
Design Concrete box girder bridge
Total length2,593 feet (790 m)
Width45 feet (14 m)-66 feet (20 m) (each span)
Longest span508 feet (155 m)
History
OpenedOctober 2016
Location
I-90 Mississippi River Bridge

The I-90 Mississippi River Bridge, or the Dresbach Bridge, consists of a pair of parallel bridges that traverse the Mississippi River, connecting the La Crosse, Wisconsin area to Dresbach in rural Winona County, Minnesota. The current bridge was fully opened to traffic in October 2016, replacing a previous 1967 plate girder bridge. It is part of the Interstate 90 route. There is another automobile crossing a few miles south of this bridge; the Mississippi River Bridge, a combination of two bridges, and the La Crosse West Channel Bridge, connecting La Crescent, Minnesota and La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Contents

The bridge consists of a pair of parallel, concrete box girder structures over the main river channel and precast concrete girder structures over the back channels. The bridges were completed with a cost of $185.5 million, and have the following specifications: [1] [2]

The bridge connects to a redesigned I-90/US 14/US 61 interchange, and provides access to the Dresbach Rest Area/MN Welcome Center and boat launches from westbound I-90. The westbound I-90 to southbound US 14/US 61 interchange has a fly-under ramp allowing continuous movement with no competing traffic. [3] [4]

History

I-90 Mississippi bridge.jpeg


The previous bridge was a plate girder bridge that opened on October 12, 1967; [5] the steel structure was painted dark green, and the bridge had a concrete railing. Although the previous bridge had no weight restrictions and operated at an acceptable level of service at the time of replacement, there were a number of problems with the 1967 bridge and surrounding roadways: [6]

In 2006, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) commissioned a study on ways to rectify some or all of these issues. Some of the options that were presented included:

In addition, the collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge in Minneapolis, on August 1, 2007 led to the effort by MnDOT to replace or modify "fracture-critical" bridges in the state. [7]

A concrete box girder bridge design was ultimately selected. The new bridge was constructed beginning January 2013, parallel to and upstream from the old 1967 plate girder bridge, which was demolished after it was closed April 2016. [7] [8]

Lock and dam 7 with I-90 in the background Lock and dam 7 with I-90 in the background.jpg
Lock and dam 7 with I-90 in the background
on the old 1967 I-90 bridge, looking east I90 LaCrosse River Bridge.jpg
on the old 1967 I-90 bridge, looking east
1967 Dresbach bridge, looking downstream (south) Old interstate 90 Mississippi bridge.jpg
1967 Dresbach bridge, looking downstream (south)
1997 aerial view looking south: 1937 Lock and Dam No. 7 in the foreground and 1967 Dresbach Bridge in the background. Mississippi River Lock and Dam number 7.jpg
1997 aerial view looking south: 1937 Lock and Dam No. 7 in the foreground and 1967 Dresbach Bridge in the background.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 494</span> Highway in Minnesota

Interstate 494 (I-494) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway making up part of a beltway of I-94, circling through the southern and western portions of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota. The 42.94-mile (69.11 km) road is coupled with I-694 at each end and composes more than half of the major beltway of the region. I-694/I-494 also act as loop routes for I-35E and I-35W.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hogg's Hollow Bridge</span> Set of four highway bridges in Toronto, Ontario

Hoggs Hollow Bridge, originally known as the Yonge Boulevard Viaduct, is a set of four separate highway bridges that span the West Branch of the Don River Valley in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and carries 14 lanes of Highway 401. The four structures are the busiest multi-span bridge crossing in North America, surpassing the Brooklyn Bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Schwengel Memorial Bridge</span> Bridge in Iowa and Rapids City, Illinois

The Fred Schwengel Memorial Bridge is a 4-lane steel girder bridge that carries Interstate 80 across the Mississippi River between LeClaire, Iowa and Rapids City, Illinois. The bridge is named for Fred Schwengel, a former U.S. Representative from Davenport, Iowa and one of the driving forces behind the Interstate Highway Act. The structure was designed by the Iowa State Highway Commission, and was built by the Industrial Construction Company of Minneapolis (contractor), Gould Construction Company of Davenport, and Roy Ryan & Sons of Evanston, Indiana who was responsible for the substructure. The bridge opened on October 27, 1966, and is maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation. It underwent a major rehabilitation project in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota State Highway 610</span> State highway in Minnesota, United States

Minnesota State Highway 610 (MN 610) is an east–west freeway in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. The freeway connects Interstate 94 (I-94), County Road 81, and CR 130 in northern Hennepin County to U.S. Highway 10 (US 10) in southern Anoka County. MN 610 crosses the Mississippi River on the Richard P. Braun Bridge between suburban Brooklyn Park and Coon Rapids. The highway is 12.3 miles (19.8 km) long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wakota Bridge</span> Bridge in Minnesota-Newport, Minnesota

The Wakota Bridge is a ten-lane bridge carrying Interstate 494 over the Mississippi River between South St. Paul and Newport, Minnesota, United States. It was completed in 2010, replacing a four-lane span built in 1959. The name was given to the previous span in the early 1960s, and is derived from the two counties it connects, Washington and Dakota. Lunda Construction Company won the bid to build a new five-lane west-bound span, remove the existing bridge, and build a new five-lane east-bound span, which was completed in 2010. It is the widest bridge in Minnesota in number of lanes, along with the I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge in Minneapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 35W (Minnesota)</span> Interstate Highway in Minnesota, United States

Interstate 35W (I-35W) is an Interstate Highway in the US state of Minnesota, passing through downtown Minneapolis. It is one of two through routes for I-35 through the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the other being I-35E through downtown Saint Paul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississippi River Bridge (La Crosse, Wisconsin)</span> Bridge in Wisconsin and La Crescent, Minnesota

The Mississippi River Bridge is a combination of two individual bridges which are also known as the Cass Street Bridge and the Cameron Avenue Bridge, as well as the Big Blue Bridges. They connect downtown La Crosse, Wisconsin to Barron Island, crossing the east channel of the Mississippi River. Another bridge, the La Crosse West Channel Bridge connects Barron Island to La Crescent, Minnesota. The Mississippi River Bridge carries U.S. Routes 14 and 61 with WI 16. There is another bridge about four miles upstream, the I-90 Mississippi River Bridge that connects North La Crosse, French Island, and Dresbach, Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Crosse Rail Bridge</span> Bridge in La Crosse, Wisconsin

The La Crosse Rail Bridge is a swing bridge that spans the Mississippi River between La Crescent, Minnesota and La Crosse, Wisconsin. The first bridge in this location initially was designed and ready to build by June 1876, and was completed in November 1876 by the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway, a predecessor of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. It was later replaced in 1902. It is at the Western end of the Canadian Pacific Railway Tomah Subdivision. Amtrak's Empire Builder crosses this bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Main Channel Bridge (Winona)</span> Bridge


Main Channel Bridge (Winona) consists of a pair of bridges, the original cantilever bridge, and a concrete box girder bridge completed in 2016, that span the main channel of the Mississippi River in the United States between Winona, Minnesota, and Latsch Island. Another bridge, the North Channel Bridge, connects the island to rural Buffalo County, Wisconsin. The bridge carries Minnesota State Highway 43, which continues as Wisconsin Highway 54 at the Minnesota/Wisconsin state line on the nearby North Channel Bridge; in Winona, it connects to Winona Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 90 Business (New Orleans, Louisiana)</span> Highway in New Orleans, Louisiana

U.S. Highway 90 Business is a business route of U.S. Highway 90 located in and near New Orleans, Louisiana. It runs 14.25 miles (22.93 km) in a general east–west direction from US 90 in Avondale to a junction with Interstate 10 (I-10) and US 90 in the New Orleans Central Business District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wisconsin Highway 35</span> Highway in Wisconsin

State Trunk Highway 35 is a Wisconsin state highway running north–south across western Wisconsin. It is 412.15 miles in length, and is the longest state highway in Wisconsin. Portions of WIS 35 are part of the Great River Road.

The I-694 Bridge is a pair of girder bridges that spans the Mississippi River between the cities of Brooklyn Center and Fridley in Minnesota. The westbound bridge was built in 1963 by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and widened in 1987 with a new structure above the piers. The eastbound bridge was built in 1988, also by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 64 in West Virginia</span> Highway in West Virginia

Interstate 64 (I-64) is an Interstate Highway in the US state of West Virginia. It travels east–west through the state for 189 miles (304 km) passing by the major towns and cities of Huntington, Charleston, Beckley, and Lewisburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 90 in Wisconsin</span> Section of Interstate Highway in Wisconsin, United States

Interstate 90 (I-90) runs east–west through the western, central and southern portions of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. About 187 miles (301 km) of I-90 lie in the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 52 in Minnesota</span> Section of U.S. Highway in Minnesota, United States

U.S. Highway 52 (US 52) enters the state of Minnesota at the unincorporated community of Prosper, north of the town of Burr Oak, Iowa. The route is marked north–south in Minnesota along its independent segment from the Iowa state line to downtown St. Paul. US 52 is not signed along the length of its concurrency with Interstate 94 (I-94) from downtown St. Paul to the North Dakota state line at Moorhead and Fargo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James B. Edwards Bridge</span> Bridge in Charleston - Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

The James B. Edwards Bridge, also referred to as the Wando River Bridge, is a pair of pre-cast post-tensioned concrete box girder bridges that span the Wando River between Mount Pleasant and Daniel Island on Interstate 526 (I-526) in South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge</span> Bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota

The I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge crosses the Mississippi River one-half mile downstream from the Saint Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the U.S., carrying north–south traffic on Interstate Highway 35W. The ten-lane bridge replaced the I-35W Mississippi River bridge, which collapsed on August 1, 2007. It was planned and is maintained by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT). The planning, design, and construction processes were completed more quickly than normal because Interstate 35W is a critical artery for commuters and truck freight. The bridge opened September 18, 2008, well ahead of the original goal of December 24.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valley View Bridge</span> Bridge in Cuyahoga County, Ohio

The Valley View Bridge is a trio of steel multi-stringer highway girder bridges that carry Interstate 480 over the Cuyahoga River valley in Valley View and Independence, Ohio. They are 215 feet (66 m) high and 4,150 feet (1,260 m) long.

The I-35W/US 10/I-694 North Central Corridor Reconstruction Project was a road construction project, conducted under the operations of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). This project involved the partial or complete reconstruction of three major thoroughfares in the northern and eastern Twin Cities metropolitan area, which include Interstate 35W (I-35W), US Highway 10, and I-694. Ramsey County Road 10 (CR 10) was also planned to be partially reconstructed at the intersection with I-35W during this project as well. Several other side projects that tie into this reconstruction include the expansion of the Lexington Avenue bridge in Arden Hills, as well as the reconstruction of the Island Lake overpasses just west of Victoria Street in Shoreview. Cities and communities that are involved with this project include New Brighton, Mounds View, Arden Hills, Shoreview, Little Canada, and Vadnais Heights, Minnesota.

The Winona Rail Bridge was a swing bridge that spanned the Mississippi River between Winona, Minnesota, and Winona Junction in Buffalo, Buffalo County, Wisconsin. It was built to link the Winona and St. Peter Railroad with the La Crosse, Trempealeau & Prescott Railroad. Both became part of the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company (C&NW). The swing span was removed, but the box girder portion of the bridge still extends from Latsch Island just downstream of the current Main Channel Bridge. Piers from the original 1871 bridge and the box girders are in the North Channel just downstream of the current North Channel Bridge.

References

  1. 1 2 "The Dresbach Bridge" (PDF). aspirebridge.com. Summer 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  2. "The New Dresbach Bridge - La Crescent, Minnesota / La Crosse, Wisconsin". American Segmental Bridge Institute. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  3. "I-90 Mississippi River Bridge Approaches and US 61/14 Interchange Final Design". srfconsulting.com. Retrieved 11 January 2021. winner of: American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota 2018 Engineering Excellence Grand Award
  4. "Dresbach Bridge". Minnesota Department of Transportation.
  5. Holmlund, James O. (October 13, 1967). "Many Drives Give New I-90 A Trial Spin". La Crosse Tribune . p. 1. Retrieved December 3, 2021 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "I-90 Mississippi River (Dresbach) Bridge". engineering.purdue.edu. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  7. 1 2 Hubbuch, Chris. "Minnesota, Wisconsin celebrate completion of I-90 bridge". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved 2017-01-10.
  8. "Photos: I-90 Bridge Construction". lacrosstribune.com. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2021.