Soo Line Rail Bridge at Blanchard Dam

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Soo Line Rail Bridge at Blanchard Dam
Soo Line Bridge at Bowlus.jpg
The Soo Line Bridge with the Blanchard Dam in the background.
Coordinates 45°51′37″N94°21′35″W / 45.86028°N 94.35972°W / 45.86028; -94.35972
CarriesPedestrian/bike/ATV trail
Crosses Mississippi River
Maintained by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources [1]
Characteristics
Design Deck truss bridge
Total length605 feet (184 m) [1]
Width1 track/2 trail lanes
Longest span105 feet (32 m) [1]
Clearance below 50 feet (15 m) [1]
History
Opened1909
Location
Soo Line Rail Bridge at Blanchard Dam

The Soo Line Rail Bridge (Blanchard Dam) is a steel deck truss bridge, built by the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway in 1909. The bridge crosses the Mississippi River northeast of Bowlus, Minnesota. The rail line was abandoned in 1993, and converted to a pedestrian/bicycle bridge as part of the Soo Line Recreation Trail in 2007. [2] The bridge is directly downstream of the Blanchard Dam.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Soo Line Bridge at Blanchard". John Marvig Railroad Bridge Photography. Retrieved 2018-04-17.
  2. "Morrison County, MN: Parks, Trails & Facilities" . Retrieved 2018-04-17.