- Mendota Bridge
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Mendota Bridge
Three spans of the Mendota Bridge as viewed from the west side, in Fort Snelling State Park.Carries Four lanes of Minnesota State Highway 55 Crosses Minnesota River Locale Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota Maintained by Minnesota Department of Transportation ID number 4190 Design 13 arch spans Total length 4119 feet (1253.8 m) Width 71 feet (21.6 m) Clearance below 100 feet (30.5 m) Opened 1926, 1994 Daily traffic 39000 vehicles/day Coordinates 44°53′14″N 93°10′39″W / 44.887341°N 93.177564°WCoordinates: 44°53′14″N 93°10′39″W / 44.887341°N 93.177564°W The Mendota Bridge carries Minnesota State Highway 55 over the Minnesota River between Fort Snelling and Mendota. It is the final bridge over the Minnesota River before the Minnesota flows into the Mississippi River at the "Meeting of the waters" or "Mendota" in the Dakota language. Traffic on the north end of the bridge may turn onto the Highway 5 Fort Road Bridge to cross the Mississippi River into St. Paul, Minnesota. The skylines of both Minneapolis and St. Paul can be seen simultaneously from the bridge.
History
The structure was designed by C.A.P. Turner and Walter H. Wheeler. Turner also designed the Aerial Lift Bridge in Duluth, Minnesota and the Liberty Memorial Bridge between Bismarck and Mandan, North Dakota.
It was the longest continuous concrete arch bridge in the world when it was constructed in 1924-26. Often called the "mile-long bridge", it is actually 4,119 feet (1,255 meters) in length. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
Between 1940 and 1965, the bridge also carried the multiplexed designation of Highway 100.
From 1992-1994, the bridge was rebuilt from the arches up with the new deck two feet higher than the original. The old bridge was demolished down to the arches. A new wider deck was installed.
A look at the bridge from underneath, showing the details of the arches, spandrels, and deck. This was taken in Fort Snelling State Park.See also
References
Bridges of the Minnesota River U.S. National Register of Historic Places Topics Lists by states Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • WyomingLists by territories Lists by associated states Other Category:National Register of Historic Places •
Portal:National Register of Historic Places
Categories:- Bridges completed in 1926
- Minnesota River
- Deck arch bridges
- Bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota
- Road bridges in Minnesota
- Concrete bridges
- Transportation in Hennepin County, Minnesota
- Mendota, Minnesota
- Buildings and structures in Dakota County, Minnesota
- Transportation in Dakota County, Minnesota
- Buildings and structures in Hennepin County, Minnesota
- United States bridge (structure) stubs
- Minnesota Registered Historic Place stubs
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