Reinforced-Concrete Highway Bridges in Minnesota MPS

Reinforced-Concrete Highway Bridges in Minnesota MPS is a Multiple Property Submission of bridges listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota. The submission includes 20 individual bridges. It also includes the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Grade Separation, which comprises 30 bridges built over the Milwaukee Road tracks one block north of Lake Street in Minneapolis.[1] The submission traces the historical context of reinforced concrete bridge building in Minnesota and cites examples of early and historic bridges.[2]

The submission establishes criteria for bridges to be listed on the National Register. The National Register contains four primary criteria:

  • A. Properties significant to the broad patterns of American history. This Multiple Property Submission selects bridges that are significantly relevant to a region's development and its transportation system. The bridges in the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Grade Separation are listed in this category because while its bridges are not significant engineering achievements, they provided relief to citizens in south Minneapolis who had to deal with train traffic.[2]
  • B. Properties associated with a significant person in America's past. However, bridges significant in conjunction with their architect are to be listed under criterion C. It is possible, although unlikely, that a particular bridge may be associated with a significant person other than its designer, such as a politician or city official who advocated for its construction.[2]
  • C. Properties significant for their design and construction methods. The Minnesota Historical Society, in preparing this MPS, decided to select bridges with important qualities. For example, a bridge that is the oldest of its type, the last surviving member of its type, having the longest span of its type, or associated with a prominent major architect, will be selected as part of this MPS.[2]
  • D. Properties with information potential likely to yield information pertinent to history or prehistory. This is not applicable to reinforced-concrete bridges in Minnesota.

The MPS also documents several eras that were important in reinforced-concrete bridge construction:

  • Early experimental designs from the 1890s through 1911
  • Early standardized designs promoted by the Minnesota Highway Commission from 1912 through 1921
  • A period of Minnesota Highway Department, trunk highway, and major urban bridge building from 1921 through 1945[2]

The Franklin Avenue Bridge and the Mendota Bridge are listed in the MPS as examples of monumental concrete arch bridge construction, but these bridges were listed on the National Register before the MPS was submitted.

Landmark name Image Date listed Location City or Town Summary
1 Bridge No. 3355-Kathio Township June 29, 1998 US-169 over Whitefish Cr.
46°12′56″N 93°47′33″W / 46.21556°N 93.79250°W / 46.21556; -93.79250 (Bridge No. 3355--Kathio Township)
Kathio Township
2 Bridge No. 3589-Silver Creek Township June 29, 1998 US-61 over Stewart R.
47°2′59″N 91°37′50″W / 47.04972°N 91.63056°W / 47.04972; -91.63056 (Bridge No. 3589--Silver Creek Township)
Silver Creek Township
3 Bridge No. 5083-Marshall June 29, 1998 MN 19 over Redwood R.
44°26′58″N 95°47′6″W / 44.44944°N 95.78500°W / 44.44944; -95.78500 (Bridge No. 5083--Marshall)
Marshall
4 Bridge No. 5151-Marshall June 29, 1998 MN 19 over Redwood R.
44°26′35″N 95°47′58″W / 44.44306°N 95.79944°W / 44.44306; -95.79944 (Bridge No. 5151--Marshall)
Marshall
5 Bridge No. 8096 June 26, 1998 MN 19 over Spring Cr.
44°27′51″N 93°9′13″W / 44.46417°N 93.15361°W / 44.46417; -93.15361 (Bridge No. 8096)
Northfield
6 Bridge No. L-2162 November 6, 1989 Co. Rd. 51 over Split Rock Creek
43°46′46″N 96°25′54″W / 43.77944°N 96.43167°W / 43.77944; -96.43167 (Bridge No. L-2162)
Jasper
7 Bridge No. L-2315 November 6, 1989 Twp. Rd. 89 over Rock River
43°33′21″N 96°9′9″W / 43.55583°N 96.15250°W / 43.55583; -96.15250 (Bridge No. L-2315)
Luverne
8 Bridge No. L-2316 November 6, 1989 Twp. Rd. 89 over Rock River
43°33′31″N 96°9′9″W / 43.55861°N 96.15250°W / 43.55861; -96.15250 (Bridge No. L-2316)
Luverne
9 Bridge No. L-4646 November 6, 1989 Sixth St. over Spring Brook
43°36′55″N 96°21′34″W / 43.61528°N 96.35944°W / 43.61528; -96.35944 (Bridge No. L-4646)
Beaver Creek
10 Bridges No. L-5853 and 92247
November 6, 1989 Lexington Ave. in Como Park
44°58′42″N 93°8′47″W / 44.97833°N 93.14639°W / 44.97833; -93.14639 (Bridges No. L-5853 and 92247)
St. Paul Early reinforced-concrete bridges built using the Melan system for reinforcement[2]
11 Broadway Bridge August 5, 1999 MN 99 over Minnesota River, Oshawa Twp.
44°19′29″N 93°57′10″W / 44.32472°N 93.95278°W / 44.32472; -93.95278 (Broadway Bridge)
Saint Peter
12 Cedar Avenue Bridge November 6, 1989 Tenth Ave. over Mississippi River
44°58′31″N 93°14′45″W / 44.97528°N 93.24583°W / 44.97528; -93.24583 (Cedar Avenue Bridge)
Minneapolis
13 Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Grade Separation June 1, 2005 Parallel to 29th St. between Humboldt & 20th Aves. S.
44°57′3″N 93°16′18″W / 44.95083°N 93.27167°W / 44.95083; -93.27167 (Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Grade Separation)
Minneapolis
14 Faribault Viaduct November 6, 1989 Division St. over Straight River
44°17′27″N 93°16′0″W / 44.29083°N 93.26667°W / 44.29083; -93.26667 (Faribault Viaduct)
Faribault
15 Intercity Bridge November 6, 1989 Ford Pkwy. over Mississippi River
44°55′4″N 93°12′14″W / 44.91778°N 93.20389°W / 44.91778; -93.20389 (Intercity Bridge)
St. Paul
16 Interlachen Bridge November 6, 1989 William Berry Dr. over Minnesota Transportation Museum street railway track in William Berry Park
44°55′53″N 93°18′31″W / 44.93139°N 93.30861°W / 44.93139; -93.30861 (Interlachen Bridge)
Minneapolis
17 Lester River Bridge-Bridge No. 5772 September 6, 2002 London Rd. over the Lester R.
46°50′12″N 92°0′22″W / 46.83667°N 92.00611°W / 46.83667; -92.00611 (Lester River Bridge--Bridge No. 5772)
Duluth
18 Nymore Bridge November 6, 1989 First St. over Mississippi River
47°28′1″N 94°52′42″W / 47.46694°N 94.87833°W / 47.46694; -94.87833 (Nymore Bridge)
Bemidji
19 Queen Avenue Bridge November 6, 1989 W. Lake Harriet Blvd. over Minnesota Transportation Museum street railway track
44°55′28″N 93°18′40″W / 44.92444°N 93.31111°W / 44.92444; -93.31111 (Queen Avenue Bridge)
Minneapolis
20 Robert Street Bridge November 6, 1989 Robert St. over Mississippi River
44°56′41″N 93°5′17″W / 44.94472°N 93.08806°W / 44.94472; -93.08806 (Robert Street Bridge)
St. Paul

References

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  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Reinforced-Concrete Highway Bridges in Minnesota". Minnesota Historical Society. 1989-09-22. Retrieved 2009-01-20.