Newport Rail Bridge

Infobox_Bridge
bridge_name=Newport Rail Bridge


caption=
official_name=
crosses=Mississippi River
carries=Two lanes of traffic and one railroad track
locale=Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, St. Paul Park, Minnesota
design=Double-deck through-truss swing span
mainspan=convert|442|ft
length=convert|1661|ft
width=convert|18|ft
below=convert|19|ft
open=1895
maint=J.A.R. Bridge Incorporated
id=5600
coordinates= coord|44|51|12|N|93|00|32|W|region:US_type:landmark
lat=
long=
clearance=
traffic=3900 (in 1998 before closure)
closed=Closed to auto traffic in 1999
toll=75 cents
map_cue=
map_

map_text=
map_width=

The Newport Rail Bridge is a swing bridge that spans the Mississippi River between Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota and St. Paul Park, Minnesota. It was built in 1895 by Pittsburgh Bridge Company. It is one of the few double-decker bridges on the Mississippi, with the top level formerly used for railroad traffic and the bottom level formerly used as a road crossing. The bridge was formerly owned by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad until that line went bankrupt in 1980, first as a toll bridge until 1938, then as a free bridge. After that, local automotive traffic had to detour convert|7.5|mi north to the Wakota Bridge or convert|18|mi south to the Hastings High Bridge.

Seeing a need, a local individual, Al Roman, bought the bridge and reopened it two and a half years later. This required special legislation for an individual to own a bridge, and it became the only toll bridge in Minnesota. In 1999, an inspection revealed that the bridge had a bad beam, so it is now closed to automobile traffic. The estimated replacement cost is at least $11 million. The bridge has not been used for railroad traffic since the Rock Island went bankrupt. Roman stopped paying taxes and the bridge was seized. Washington County was handed management in 2003.

As of June 2006, Washington County, Minnesota, officials are studying the removal of the bridge. County engineer Don Theisen called the bridge "a rusty bucket of bolts" and said that it impedes barge traffic. Estimated removal costs are $5 million. [Giles, Kevin (July 9, 2008) [http://www.startribune.com/local/east/23616644.html?location_refer=East%20Metro:highlightModules:5 "Bridge too decrepit to use, too costly to tear down"] , "Star Tribune"]

ee also

*List of crossings of the Upper Mississippi River

References

* cite book
last = Costello
first = Mary Charlotte
authorlink =
coauthors =
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
*cite web|url=http://nationalbridges.com|title=National Bridge Inventory|accessdate=2006-05-26
* cite news
first = Boldt
last = Megan
author =
coauthors =
url = http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/14757285.htm
title = Officials consider toll bridge's demise
work =
publisher = St. Paul Pioneer Press
pages =
page =
date = 2006-06-07
accessdate = 2006-06-08
*cite web|url=http://www.co.washington.mn.us/client_files/documents/com/BdMin-2000//COM-BdMin001003.pdf|title=Washington County Board Meeting 2000-10-03|accessdate=2007-04-12
* [http://www.johnweeks.com/bridges/pages/ms02.html Pictures of Rock Island Bridge]

Crossings navbox
structure = Bridges
place = Mississippi River
bridge = Newport Rail Bridge
bridge signs =
upstream = Wakota Bridge
upstream signs =
downstream = Hastings High Bridge
downstream signs =