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| Name | BNSF Maryland Avenue Bridge Northern Pacific Railway Bridge #3 |
| Built By | Northern Pacific Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | E.J. Dunnigan of St. Paul, Minnesota |
| Length | 113 Feet Total, 39 Foot Main Spans |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 13 Feet 9 Inches |
| Superstructure Type | Concrete Encased Beam and Concrete Slab |
| Substructure Type | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1929 |
| Traffic Count | 50 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | Open to Traffic |
| Northern Pacific Railway Bridge Number | 3 |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 3.7 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/8/2015 |
In 1885, the Saint Paul and Northern Pacific Railway Company (StP&NP) began construction on five separate lines in Minneapolis. Line "A" would extend from Seventh Street in St. Paul to 20th Street in Minneapolis, crossing the Mississippi River twice. Line "B" would extend from St. Anthony Junction (near present day MN-280 and Kasota Avenue) to Northtown Junction. Line "C" would extend along Ramsey Street from Line "A" to Plymouth Avenue. Line "D" consisted of a 1 mile long industrial line along 2nd Street. Line "E" consisted of a connection between Line "A" and Line "C" along Mulberry Street. Work on the five lines would be completed in 1886.
The StP&NP would be purchased by the Northern Pacific Railway (NP) in 1896. NP continued to operate these lines as part of their vast Twin Cities network. Portions of line "C" would be abandoned in the 1960s. In 1970, NP would merge with rival Great Northern Railway and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy to form Burlington Northern Railroad (BN). Line "E" would be abandoned during the 1970s. Portions of line "A" through downtown Minneapolis were removed during the 1980s, and Bridge #9 was purchased by the City of Minneapolis for trail use. In 1996, BN merged with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway to form BNSF Railway. BNSF currently owns line "A" and line "B" as part of the St. Paul Subdivision. The northern portions of Line "A" are also used by BNSF as a spur to serve the Cemstone plant. Lines "C" and "D" have largely been developed, and line "E" has become part of a trail.
Located on the west side of St. Paul, this concrete encased beam bridge carries a former Northern Pacific Railway mainline over Maryland Avenue. The first bridge at this location was constructed in 1898, and consisted of a 74-foot and two 20-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto steel bents and concrete abutments. By the 1920s, this bridge had become too light for traffic, and it was decided to replace it with a heavier structure. Contracts for the new bridge were searded in 1929, and the bridge was completed later that year. The main span was subsequently reused at Bridge #22.1 across Squire Creek near Fortson, Washington; where it remains intact as part of a trail. Currently, the bridge consists of two double track 39-foot concrete encased beam spans and two 14-foot concrete slab spans, set onto concrete substructures. In addition, the bridge runs at a heavy 54-degree left skew. The superstructure follows a standard design, with a monolithic concrete ballast deck and the approach spans constructed monolithically with the abutments. The abutments use standard sloped wing walls, while the piers are constructed using six concrete columns, connected by a beam at the top and arches between the columns. Local contractor E.J. Dunnigan completed the construction of the bridge. This style of bridge became popular early in the 20th Century, as it was durable and easy to construct. In addition, the design could easily be built with decorative features to enhance the bridge. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen no significant alterations. Today, the bridge remains in use as part of a heavily used BNSF Railway mainline. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build Date | St. Paul Division Bridge Book at the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association Archives |
| Builder | Engineering News-Record; Volume 102, Issue 26 |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |