High Bridge (St. Paul)

Infobox_Bridge
bridge_name=Smith Avenue High Bridge


caption=Picture of the High Bridge in early spring, 2006, with downtown St. Paul in the background.
official_name=
crosses=Mississippi River
carries=Two lanes of Minnesota State Highway 149
locale=St. Paul, Minnesota
design=Inverted arch and two half-arches for the main span; eight plate girder spans on the north side
mainspan=520 feet
length=2760 feet
width=54 feet
below=149 feet
open=July 1987
maint=Minnesota Department of Transportation
id=62090
coordinates= coord|44|56|00|N|93|06|16|W|region:US_type:landmarkThe High Bridge is a bridge that carries Minnesota State Highway 149 over the Mississippi River in St. Paul, Minnesota. The bridge is a two lane, street set-up over the river. The original bridge, built in 1895, was damaged by a storm in 1905. The southernmost five spans were rebuilt. Due to deterioration over the years, the old bridge was demolished in 1985. A new bridge was built and opened in 1987. The ornamental ironwork on the new bridge was built using iron from the old bridge.

The High Bridge has a height of 160 feet, making it the highest bridge in St. Paul.

In February 2008, City Pages, a weekly publication in the Twin Cities, published a feature about the long history of suicide at the bridge. The article included a testimony of a survivor that has leapt from the high bridge. [ [http://articles.citypages.com/2008-02-06/feature/a-long-way-down/ St. Paul's High Bridge: Suicide Hot Spot - City Pages (Minneapolis/St. Paul) ] ]

ee also

*List of crossings of the Upper Mississippi River

ee also

http://articles.citypages.com/2008-02-06/feature/a-long-way-down/

References

* [http://www.fortroadfederation.org/stpaul.htm West Seventh/Fort Road Federation] - picture of the demolition of the old bridge
* [http://www.johnweeks.com/bridges/pages/ms07.html Smith Avenue High Bridge, St. Paul, MN]
* [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.mn0076 Historic American Engineering Record: Smith Avenue High Bridge]
* cite book
last = Costello
first = Mary Charlotte
year = 2002
title = Climbing the Mississippi River Bridge by Bridge, Volume Two: Minnesota
publisher = Adventure Publications
location = Cambridge, MN
id = ISBN 0-9644518-2-4

Crossings navbox
structure = Bridges
place = Mississippi River
bridge = Smith Avenue High Bridge
bridge signs =
upstream = Omaha Road Bridge Number 15
upstream signs =
downstream = Wabasha Street Bridge
downstream signs =