MNNR Como Avenue Bridge

Located west of Minnesota Highway 280, this steel stringer bridge carries a former Minnesota Transfer Railway line over Como Avenue. The previous bridge at this location was likely a timber pile trestle bridge, constructed in the early 20th Century. Throughout the 1930s, the Minnesota Highway Department worked with railroads throughout the state to improve crossings with roads. In June 1936, contracts were awarded for the construction of a new bridge at this location, and the structure was completed in 1936. Currently, the bridge consists of a 50-foot and two 18-foot steel stringer spans, set onto concrete substructures. The superstructure follows a standard design, with six shallow beams in the main span and four shallow beams in the approach spans. In addition, the beams are covered by a concrete fascia to improve appearance. The piers consist of four concrete columns, connected by a concrete beam. The abutments use a design with a decorative pier design protruding out and sloped wing walls with decorative stamps. In addition, a decorative iron railing is present throughout the bridge. An unknown contractor fabricated the bridge, while Dunnigan Construction Company constructed the substructure. This type of bridge was popular for 20th Century grade separations, as it was durable and easy to construct. In addition, the concrete fascias allowed for additional decorative features to be added to the bridge. Since the initial construction, the only significant alteration to the bridge came in 2015, when the center span was replaced by a modern span, leaving the original fascia intact. Today, the bridge remains in use as part of the Minnesota Commercial Railroad. 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.