By 1889, the Chicago, Kansas City and Texas Railway received approval for the plans for a new high level design. Pier construction began that year, and was completed in 1890. Later that year, the Kansas City Bridge and Terminal Company took over the project.
The partially completed bridge would be known as the Winner Bridge, after W.E. Winner; president of the KCB&T.
With the panic of 1893, bridge work halted. Despite an extension of time, the bridge would be sold to the Kansas City and Atlantic Railroad; who commissioned John Alexander Low Waddell to re-design the bridge.
Waddell designed a large pin connected lift span. The project continued to lay dormant due to inadequate funding.
In 1901, Winner lost control of the bridge. After turmoil; the Union Bridge and Terminal Railroad Company acquired the bridge holdings in 1903.
The UB&T was a joint subsidiary between the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the Armour and Swift meat packing plants. Much money was thrown the way of the railroad; and prospects began to brighten.
Waddell was again called upon by F.W. Fratt to build the "Fratt Bridge" as it was now called. Waddell partnered with John Harrington to reconfigure the designs for the bridge.
By 1911, the bridge would completed and pick up the more common name of the Armour-Swift-Burlington Bridge; or ASB Bridge. The 1890s piers were used; although modified for the new plan.
Highway decks were removed from the bridge in 1987 and since then, it has purely carried the traffic of CB&Q successor; BNSF Railway.
06/26/21
The most unique bridge in Kansas City is undoubtedly the impressive Armour-Swift-Burlington Bridge; or ASB Bridge.
Featuring a telescoping lift span, and a double deck; the railroad deck can be raised without affecting top deck traffic.
The design is known as a telescoping lift span; and is one of two ever designed. The main lift span of the bridge is a 428 foot long 14-span Baltimore Through Truss. It has riveted connections.
A railroad deck hangs off this main span using hangers, which can retract into the automobile deck to allow the passage of barges on the Missouri River while still allowing the passage of non-rail transportation (prior to 1987).
In addition, a pair of 14-panel Baltimore Through Trusses approach the main lift span to the north. The bridge is also approached by a pair of small deck girder spans set onto concrete substructures.
The remaining substructures on the bridge are constructed of stone.
Originally, the bridge also contained an extensive network of approach spans. These served railroad, streetcar and pedestrian traffic.
These approach spans contained many deck girder spans, and trusses to cross railroads. After the new Heart of America Bridge opened in 1987; the highway approaches were demolished.
The bridge carried US-71 until Interstate 29 could be completed. After that, it carried Missouri Highway 9.
The remaining three trusses of the bridge are the most important portions. The upper deck has sat unused since 1987; and the lower deck carries a limited amount of railroad traffic.
Despite this, the bridge appears to be well maintained and is still a landmark to Kansas City.
The author has ranked this bridge as being nationally significant; due to the rare design. However, this highly significant bridge was altered in 1987 and lost a great deal of historic integrity.
The photo above is an overview. The photo below is a plaque on the bridge, and the photo far below is a Historic American Engineering Record photo of the bridge.
It is hoped that the author can return here soon to re-photograph the bridge. It is planned for late 2017 or early 2018.
| Upstream | Second Hannibal Bridge |
| Downstream | Choteau Bridge |
