BNSF East Channel Bridge

Located on the east side of Nicollet Island in Minneapolis, this deck plate girder bridge carries a former Great Northern Railway mainline over the East Channel of the Mississippi River. The first bridge at this location was a timber pile trestle and truss bridge, constructed when the line was first built. This bridge was likely renewed at least once in the 19th Century with a similar wooden structure. Between 1892 and 1893, the GN upgraded the bridges at Nicollet Island as part of a larger improvement project in Minneapolis. In 1893, a new double track deck plate girder bridge, set onto stone substructures was completed at this location. By the 1920s, the bridge had become too light for traffic, and would require replacement. Instead of constructing an entirely new bridge, it was decided to combine the old girders into double strength spans to be used under the north track, and install a new set of girders for the south track. The most recent alteration came in 2008, when the south track spans were replaced by new precast modular concrete girder spans as part of the now-defunct Northstar Commuter Rail project, giving the bridge its present configuration. The old south track spans were stored at the Cedar Lake Yard in St. Louis Park until late 2014 or early 2015, when they were removed. It is unknown if they were scrapped, or reused elsewhere.

Currently, the bridge consists of three 75-foot spans, set onto stone substructures. The north track consists of twinned iron deck plate girder spans, while the south track consists of concrete modular concrete girder spans. The north track spans use a modified design, with four heavy plate girders and an open deck, while the south track spans consist of four large concrete girders and a ballast deck. The piers use a standard rectangular design with angled noses, while the abutments use stepped wing walls which extend diagonally from the bridge. Stone for the substructures consists of tan Kettle River sandstone, quarried at Sandstone, Minnesota. Edge Moor Bridge Works fabricated the iron girders for the north track, while it is unclear if railroad company forces or an unknown contractor completed the alterations. The original south track spans were fabricated by Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Company, while local contractor Ring & Tobin constructed the substructures. Deck plate girder spans were popular for railroad use, as they were durable and easy to construct. Twinned girder spans were popular with railroads, as they allowed for a stronger span without requiring significant amounts of new material. However, it is somewhat unusual for these types of spans to be located on mainlines. The type of modular concrete girder spans used for the south track have become popular in the 21st Century, particularly for longer spans. Since the 2008 alterations, the bridge has seen no significant changes, and remains in regular use. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no significant deterioration. The author has rated the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.