Short Line Bridge
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 The south elevation of the Short Line Bridge, partially obscured by trees. |
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| Carries | Minnesota Commercial Railway |
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| Crosses | Mississippi River |
| Locale | Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota |
| Maintained by | Canadian Pacific Railroad |
| Design | Truss bridge |
| Longest span | 324 feet |
| Total length | 1061 feet |
| Width | 22 feet (2 tracks) |
| Clearance below | 76 feet |
| Opening date | 1902 |
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The Short Line Bridge is a truss bridge that spans the Mississippi River between Minneapolis, Minnesota and St. Paul, Minnesota. It was built in 1902 by Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad and was designed by American Bridge Company.
The name "Short Line" comes from the Milwaukee Road's construction of a shorter, more direct connection between St. Paul and Minneapolis. Previously, the connection was made via a line that headed southwest along the Mississippi River, then turning north at Mendota and going northwest via Fort Snelling to downtown Minneapolis. The "Short Line" was part of a number of construction projects in the 1880s that also included a roundhouse and yard near the present-day junction of Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue, as well as a line to the west just north of Lake Street (today's Midtown Greenway).
As railroad traffic became less important in the Twin Cities in the latter part of the 20th century, the Milwaukee Road gradually abandoned several of its lines in the area. The bridge is still used today by the Minnesota Commercial Railway to service grain elevators along Hiawatha Avenue. There has been some discussion about using the bridge as a connection for the Midtown Greenway across the Mississippi River, but Canadian Pacific Railway (the successor to the Milwaukee Road) has not been receptive to the idea.
In July of 2006, there was a severe fire on the bridge, which caused $200,000 in damage, closing down rail traffic until it can be repaired. Originally, the cause was thought to have been small fireworks, but later appeared to be arson, by dousing the bridge in gasoline. The bridge, in the specific spot can only hold at maximum 50 pounds of weight. Local Authorities, to prevent people from hurting themselves, had patrolled each side of the bridge, from 6:00 pm - 6:00 am daily in the days following the event. Now, a fence blocking access to the bridge states that any tresspassers will be fined and/or serve jail time. There had been a smaller fire, at an unknown date, prior to this incident.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Costello, Mary Charlotte (2002). Climbing the Mississippi River Bridge by Bridge, Volume Two: Minnesota. Cambridge, MN: Adventure Publications. ISBN 0-9644518-2-4.
- Hofsommer, Don L. (2005). Minneapolis and the Age of Railways. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 0-8166-4501-9.
- Collins, Cyn (2005). The Bike Stops Here. The Bridge: Neighborhood News Spanning the River. Retrieved on 2006-04-19.
- Murphy, Esme (2006). Police Say Fireworks Started Railway Bridge Fire. WCCO TV. Retrieved on 2006-07-20.
| Bridges of the Mississippi River | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Upstream Franklin Avenue Bridge |
Short Line Bridge |
Downstream Lake Street Bridge |
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