I-90 Mississippi River Bridge

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I-90 Mississippi River Bridge
I 90 bridge.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
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 original 1967 I-90 bridge, looking east I90 LaCrosse River Bridge.jpg
On the original 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 the original 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 the original 1967 Dresbach Bridge in the background.
I-90 Mississippi Bridge I-90 Mississippi Bridge.jpg
I-90 Mississippi Bridge

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "The Dresbach Bridge" (PDF). aspirebridge.com. Summer 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  2. "The New Dresbach Bridge - La Crescent, Minnesota / La Crosse, Wisconsin". American Segmental Bridge Institute. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  3. "I-90 Mississippi River Bridge Approaches and US 61/14 Interchange Final Design". srfconsulting.com. Retrieved January 11, 2021. winner of: American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota 2018 Engineering Excellence Grand Award
  4. "Dresbach Bridge". Minnesota Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  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 January 10, 2021.
  7. 1 2 Hubbuch, Chris. "Minnesota, Wisconsin celebrate completion of I-90 bridge". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  8. "Photos: I-90 Bridge Construction". lacrosstribune.com. November 19, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2021.[ permanent dead link ]