DeSoto Bridge

Last updated

DeSoto Bridge
DeSoto Bridge.jpg
The DeSoto Bridge as viewed from the north.
Coordinates 45°33′40″N94°09′07″W / 45.56111°N 94.15194°W / 45.56111; -94.15194
CarriesFour lanes of MN-23.svg MN 23
Crosses Mississippi River
Locale St. Cloud Minnesota, United States
Maintained by Minnesota Department of Transportation
ID number 6748
Characteristics
DesignTrussed deck-arch bridge
Total length890 feet
Width70.5 feet
Longest span280 feet
Clearance below 32 feet
History
Opened1958
Closed2008
Location
DeSoto Bridge

DeSoto Bridge was a trussed deck-arch bridge that spanned the Mississippi River in St. Cloud, Minnesota. It was built in 1958 by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The bridge was painted black, which is typical for railroad bridges but unusual for a highway bridge. The river banks on either side are relatively high, so the bridge required deep trusses which arched over the river.

Contents

After the collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge in Minneapolis on August 1, 2007, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty ordered the DeSoto Bridge and two other bridges in Minnesota to be inspected. The three bridges have a design similar to that of the former I-35W bridge. [1]

The bridge was inspected on August 3, 2007 and found to be structurally sound. [2] However, on March 20, 2008, four gusset plates were found to be bent. The bridge was closed indefinitely as a precaution and demolished in October 2008.

After inspections by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the National Transportation Safety Board, it was determined that the DeSoto Bridge should be replaced. [3] The replacement project started in September 2008 and was originally projected to be completed by June 2010. The new replacement bridge, named the Granite City Crossing, opened October 29, 2009. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stone Arch Bridge (Minneapolis)</span> Bridge crossing the Mississippi river in Minnesota, United States

The Stone Arch Bridge is a former railroad bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the only arched bridge made of stone on the entire Mississippi River. It is the second oldest bridge on the river next to Eads Bridge. The bridge was built to connect the railway system to the new Union Depot, which at that time was planned to be built between Hennepin Avenue and Nicollet Avenue. The bridge was completed in 1883, costing $650,000 at the time. 117 Portland Avenue is the general address of the historic complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carol Molnau</span> American politician

Carol Molnau is an American politician who served as the 46th lieutenant governor of Minnesota, from 2003 to 2011. As of 2025, she is the most recent Republican to have been elected Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota State Highway 23</span> State highway in Minnesota, United States

Minnesota State Highway 23 (MN 23) is a state highway that stretches from southwestern to northeastern Minnesota. At 343.723 miles (553.169 km) in length, it is the second longest state route in Minnesota, after MN 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">10th Avenue Bridge</span> Bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota

The 10th Avenue Bridge crosses the Mississippi River near downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota and also in proximity to the University of Minnesota. The bridge was historically referred to as the Cedar Avenue Bridge in the days prior to the construction of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge when it connected to Cedar Ave. The bridge connects 10th Avenue Southeast, on the east side of the Mississippi River, to 19th Avenue South on the west side. The Seven Corners area of the Cedar-Riverside, Minneapolis neighborhood is at the southern end of the bridge. The downstream end of the lower Saint Anthony Falls lock and dam extends under the bridge. The historic Southeast Steam Plant is also located nearby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patroon Island Bridge</span> Bridge in New York and Rensselaer, New York

The Patroon Island Bridge is a multi-span deck truss bridge that spans the Hudson River in Albany and Rensselaer in the state of New York. A major crossing, it carries Interstate 90 in the east–west direction between Albany and Rensselaer Counties. It has been in service since 1968, with structural repairs made in 1992, and a comprehensive renovation/retrofit completed in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Hawk Bridge</span> Bridge in Wisconsin, River Mile

The Black Hawk Bridge spans the Mississippi River, joining the town of Lansing, in Allamakee County, Iowa, to rural Crawford County, Wisconsin. It is the northernmost Mississippi River bridge in Iowa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stillwater Bridge (St. Croix River)</span> Bridge in Stillwater, Minnesota

The Stillwater Bridge is a vertical-lift bridge crossing the St. Croix River between Stillwater, Minnesota, and Houlton, Wisconsin. It formerly connected Minnesota State Highway 36 and Wisconsin Highway 64. Around 18,000 vehicles crossed the bridge daily. The new St. Croix Crossing bridge crossing the St. Croix river valley to the south of Stillwater replaced its purpose, having opened to highway traffic on August 2, 2017, leaving the Stillwater Lift Bridge to be preserved and to be converted to bicycle/pedestrian use.

<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">Lafayette Bridge</span> Bridge in St. Paul, Minnesota

The Lafayette Bridge is a bridge carrying U.S. Route 52 across the Mississippi River in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota. At this point, US 52 is on the Lafayette Freeway. The bridge spans across railroad yards north of the Mississippi, the river itself, and industrial areas south of the Mississippi. The Lafayette Bridge is one of the longest Mississippi River bridges in the Twin Cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Bridge (St. Paul)</span> Bridge in St. Paul, Minnesota

The Smith Avenue High Bridge or the High Bridge is an inverted arch bridge that carries Minnesota State Highway 149 and Smith Avenue over the Mississippi River in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. It was built and opened in 1987 at a cost of $20 million. The bridge carries two lanes of street traffic over the river and is the highest bridge in St. Paul, with a deck height of 160 ft (49 m) and a clearance below of 149 ft (45 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hernando de Soto Bridge</span> Steel-arch bridge between West Memphis, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, US

The Hernando de Soto Bridge is a tied-arch bridge carrying Interstate 40 across the Mississippi River between West Memphis, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee. The design is a continuous cantilevered cable-stayed steel through arch, with bedstead endposts. Memphians also call the bridge the "New Bridge", as it is newer than the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge downstream, and the "M Bridge", due to its distinctive shape. It is of similar construction to the Sherman Minton Bridge between Louisville, Kentucky, and New Albany, Indiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hastings High Bridge</span> Bridge in Minnesota, US

The Hastings High Bridge was a continuous steel through truss bridge that spanned the Mississippi River in Hastings, Minnesota, United States. It was designed by Sverdrup and Parcel and was built in 1951 by Graus Construction Company of Hasting for $356,000. It was demolished in late 2013 when the current Hastings Bridge opened. It had been scheduled to be torn down and replaced by MNDot in 2019, but after the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, it was re-prioritized and construction started in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I-35W Mississippi River bridge</span> Bridge in Minneapolis, Minn., US, that collapsed in 2007

The I-35W Mississippi River bridge was an eight-lane, steel truss arch bridge that carried Interstate 35W across the Mississippi River one-half mile downstream from the Saint Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The bridge opened in 1967, and was Minnesota's third busiest, carrying 140,000 vehicles daily. After only 39 years in service, it experienced a catastrophic failure during the evening rush hour on August 1, 2007, killing 13 people and injuring 145. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) cited a design flaw as the likely cause of the collapse, noting that an excessively thin gusset plate ripped along a line of rivets. Additional weight on the bridge at the time of failure was also cited by the NTSB as a contributing factor.

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

The Sauk Rapids Bridge was a steel spandrel braced arch bridge that spanned the Mississippi River between the cities of St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was built in 1942 and was designed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The bridge consisted of three spans supported by two piers. It crossed the Mississippi River one-half mile (0.8 km) downstream from the rapids of the Sauk River. The river is still rough and fast-flowing at this location.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota State Highway 43</span> State highway in Minnesota, United States

Minnesota State Highway 43 is a highway in southeast Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highway 44 in Mabel and continues north to its northern terminus at the Wisconsin state line at Winona, where it becomes Wisconsin Highway 54 upon crossing the Mississippi River.

The Washington Bridge is a concrete girder bridge that carries Route 47 over the Missouri River in Washington, Missouri. It replaces a cantilever truss bridge of the same name that passed between Franklin County, Missouri and Warren County, Missouri. It has also been known as the Route 47 Missouri River Bridge.

<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 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 (MnDOT). 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">Granite City Crossing</span> Bridge in United States of America

The Granite City Crossing is a bridge that carries Minnesota State Highway 23 across the Mississippi River in the city of St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States. It was built to replace the DeSoto Bridge in the same location. Construction began in the fall of 2008, after the demolition of the DeSoto Bridge was completed. The bridge opened to traffic on October 29, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Shore Drive Bridge (Michigan)</span> Bridge in Eagle River, Michigan

The Lake Shore Drive Bridge, also known as the M-26 Bridge or the Eagle River Bridge, is a pedestrian bridge in Eagle River, Michigan, crossing the Eagle River. It carried highway M-26 over the river from 1915 until 1990, when the adjacent Eagle River Timber Bridge replaced it for automobile traffic. The Lake Shore Drive Bridge is listed as a Michigan State Historic Site and is a contributing property of the Eagle River Historic District.

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

The Hastings Bridge is a free standing tied-arch bridge that spans the Mississippi River in Hastings, Minnesota, United States. It was designed by Parsons and was built in 2013 by Lunda Construction Company for $119,830,000. The Hastings Bridge replaces the former Hastings High Bridge, which was built in 1951 and demolished in 2013 when the replacement bridge was completed. The Hastings High Bridge had been scheduled to be torn down and replaced in 2019, but after the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, the MNDOT re-prioritized the replacement and construction of the new bridge started in 2010.

References

General references

Cited references