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BNSF West Sarpy Ditch Bridge

Through Plate Girder bridge over West Sarpy Ditch
Near Gretna, Sarpy County, Nebraska

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name BNSF West Sarpy Ditch Bridge
Built By Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad
Contractor (Approach) Vierling Steel Works of Chicago
Currently Owned By BNSF Railway
Length 132 Feet Total, 50 Foot Main Span
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 10 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Through Plate Girder and I-Beam
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1917, Approaches Rebuilt 1949
Traffic Count 6 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
BNSF Bridge Number 42.85
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date January 2017


This small girder and bridge beam crosses over West Sarpy Ditch, a creek draining fields in the area.
Originally built in 1917, the bridge likely originally had trestle approaches. However, these were replaced in 1949.
The bridge currently has a main through plate girder span, and a single I-Beam span on either side. The entire bridge rests on concrete substructures.
Overall, the bridge appears in good condition.

The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design and newer age.
The photo above is an overview. The bridge can be accessed from US-6, which runs parallel.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date (Main Span) Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Collection at the Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois
Build Date (Approach Span) Vierling Steel Works plaque
Contractor (Approach Span) Vierling Steel Works plaque
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele