Located between Royalton and Little Falls, this large girder bridge carries the Soo Line Trail over US Highway 10 and the BNSF Railway mainline.
Reportedly built in 1958, this bridge replaced an older timber and beam bridge that crossed both a single lane of US-10 and the Northern Pacific. In 1958, US-10 would be widened to the present four lane configuration, requiring a larger bridge.
As a result, the Soo Line and the Minnesota Highway Department built a new girder bridge. The current bridge consists of three standard deck girder spans over US-10, and then through and deck girder spans across the BNSF. The entire bridge sits on concrete substructures.
While the roadway spans appear to be of standard 1950s design, the three spans over the BNSF may be secondhand spans relocated from elsewhere. The author is currently working to confirm this.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with no significant alterations or deterioration.
The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design and unknown history.
The photo above is an overview.