Discovery Bridge (Yankton)

For other uses, see Discovery Bridge (disambiguation).

Discovery Bridge
Discovery Bridge at Night
Official name	Discovery Bridge
Carries	4 lanes on US Route 81
Crosses	Missouri River
Locale	Yankton, South Dakota / Cedar County, Nebraska
Maintained by	?
Design	State of Nebraska/S. Dakota
Total length	?
Width	74 feet
Longest span	1590 feet
Clearance below	?
Opened	October 11, 2008
Coordinates	42°51′54.35″N 97°23′49.12″W / 42.8650972°N 97.3969778°W / 42.8650972; -97.3969778

The Discovery Bridge is a bridge that carries US Route 81 across the Missouri River from the Nebraska border to the South Dakota border. The Discovery Bridge connects Yankton, South Dakota, with rural Cedar County, Nebraska. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was on October 11, 2008, a year ahead of schedule.

History

Construction began on the Discovery Bridge in June 2007. The bridge then opened on October 11, 2008, which was exactly 84 years after the dedication of the Meridian Highway Bridge.^[1] Now completed, the Discovery Bridge serves as a replacement for the Meridian Highway Bridge, which is about 1,000 feet (300 m) downstream.^[2]

The bridge is a finalist in the 2009 America's Transportation Awards for "representing the best in innovative management, accountability and timeliness".^[3][4]

See also

• List of crossings of the Missouri River
• Meridian Highway Bridge

References

1. ^ City of Yankton, SD Discovery Bridge and webcam
2. ^ Nebraska Department of Roads
3. ^ Vote for America's Best Transportation Project
4. ^ Two States Trim Time and Costs on New Bridge: Nebraska Department of Roads Yankton Brdge Project

External links

• Nebraska Department of Roads Yankton Bridge History Page