Washington Avenue Bridge (Minneapolis)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Washington Avenue Bridge**
The Washington Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis, looking south from NP Bridge #9
Carries	Four lanes of automobile traffic on the lower deck, bicycles and pedestrians on the upper deck
Crosses	Mississippi River
Locale	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Maintained by	Minnesota Department of Transportation
ID number	9360
Design	Plate girder bridge
Longest span	251 feet
Total length	1130 feet
Width	Four lanes of traffic
Clearance below	70 feet
Opening date	1965
Coordinates	44°58′24″N, 93°14′21″W

The Washington Avenue Bridge crosses the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota and connects the East Bank and West Bank portions of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. The bridge is unique for being a double-decker bridge, with the lower portion designated for road traffic and the upper level used for pedestrians and bicycles (lanes specifically for bikes are on the north side). It is a utilitarian structure with simple architecture, but it has cultural significance because thousands of students, faculty, staff, and visitors walk across it every day.

1 History
2 Future
3 See also
4 References

[edit] History

An iron truss bridge was first built here in 1884, slightly upstream from the current location (connecting Washington Avenue on both sides of the river). At the time of construction, many people lived in the river flats area below, a neighborhood known as Bohemian Flats (See photo below). The bridge was strengthened in 1890 to accommodate streetcars, and it made up part of the first interurban line between Minneapolis and neighboring Saint Paul (see Twin City Rapid Transit). Streetcar service ended by 1954 and the aging structure was set for the chopping block as the current bridge began construction in 1962. It was torn down in 1965.

Original bridge circa 1885 showing residences on the Bohemian Flats

This first structure was a straight east-west bridge carrying Washington Avenue, which continued directly into downtown. The new bridge aimed the west end slightly to the south, so Washington Avenue is now disjointed at that point. Continuing straight along the roadway will carry a vehicle into downtown along a short freeway-like section that meets 3rd Street South (a one-way—returning involves traveling along 4th Street). The roadway between Interstate 35W in the west and University Avenue in the east, which includes the bridge, was once designated as Minnesota State Highway 122, but that ended in 1997 when Hennepin County took over control of the roadway from the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Returning to Washington Avenue after crossing the bridge requires taking the first exit upon reaching the west side, or turning north after reaching downtown.

The top deck on the new bridge was originally just a flat space. Traversing the bridge in the harshness of winter was very uncomfortable, so an enclosure running down the center of the pedestrian area was added by the 1970s. Originally meant to be a heated indoor pedestrian area, due to energy cost concerns, the walkway is mostly unheated. There are some heaters inside that keep the area slightly warmer than outside, but it can still dip below the freezing point. The structure also adds a windbreak for the top level, improving conditions for people who choose to walk outside. In the summer, large overhangs also provide some shade.

East entrance to the bridge

At least one designer had much grander plans. Winston Close, an advisor from the university to the architectural team, envisioned modeling the top level on the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence, Italy. This would have included shops, making the bridge a place to stay rather than just get across. Some effort has been put into making the site a more inviting place. The addition of the upper deck enclosure led to an annual artistic event held on the first few days of classes, where organizations of all stripes can put their brushes to panels lining the interior. While most are self-promotional messages from campus groups, some of the panels always show impressive designs.

The exterior of the bridge had been a rather drab combination of brown and gray for most of its existence. Some felt that it was off-balance in its university surroundings, especially after the Frank Gehry-designed Weisman Art Museum went into place next to the east end in the 1980s. University President Mark Yudof led a "Take Pride in U" campaign in 1997 where the top level was painted in the school colors of maroon and gold. Later, in the early 2000s decade, the superstructure was also painted over the course of about two years. This had to be arranged with Hennepin County, which owns the bridge. The resulting makeover is much more visually appealing. It took such a long time because the old paint contained lead and had to be carefully removed.

West entrance to the bridge

A darker facet of the bridge's history is its association with suicide. Poet and university professor John Berryman is the most famous person to have killed himself at the site, when he fell from the bridge in 1972. About a half-dozen others have also died by landing in the river or on the flats area. It is supposed that at least one ghost resides on the bridge. There have been several reports of students hearing footsteps directly behind them while walking the bridge late at night when no one else was on the bridge.

[edit] Future

The bridge will probably be replaced or significantly altered in the coming decades. In particular, plans for a new Central Corridor transit link to Saint Paul must take this span into account. While a bus rapid transit solution may be chosen, many consider light rail to be more likely, and adding rails to the crossing (which would probably lead into a tunnel under the university campus) would be a significant undertaking.

[edit] See also

List of crossings of the Upper Mississippi River

[edit] References

Peter Ritter (February 24, 1999). Water Under a Troubled Bridge. City Pages.
Scott F. Anfinson (1989). Archaeology of the Central Minneapolis Riverfront. The Minnesota Archaeologist, Vol. 48, No. 1-2. Minnesota Historical Society.
Steve Riner Details of Routes 101-149. Unofficial Minnesota Highways Page.
Erin Ghere (March 29, 1999). Bridge repainting project causes traffic concerns. The Minnesota Daily.
Costello, Mary Charlotte (2002). Climbing the Mississippi River Bridge by Bridge, Volume Two: Minnesota. Cambridge, MN: Adventure Publications. ISBN 0-9644518-2-4.

The Twin Cities Campus of the University of Minnesota v • d • e
Carlson School of Management • Coffman Memorial Union • Dinkytown • Eastcliff • GAPSA • The Gopher Way • Law School • Mariucci Arena • McNamara Alumni Center • Memorial Stadium (demolished) • Metrodome • Northrop Auditorium • Northrop Mall • Ridder Arena • School of Social Work • Siebert Field • Stadium Village • Superblock • TCF Bank Stadium (planned) • Washington Ave. Bridge • Weisman Art Museum • Williams Arena