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| Name | BNSF MN-23 Bridge |
| Built By | Northern Pacific Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Design | Unknown |
| Substructure Design | Walter D. Giertsen Company of Golden Valley, Minnesota |
| Length | 78 Feet Total, 37 Foot Main Spans |
| Width | 4 Tracks (3 In Use) |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Type | Steel Stringer and Concrete Slab |
| Substructure Type | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1958 |
| Traffic Count | 50 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | Open to Traffic |
| Northern Pacific Railway Bridge Number | 73 |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 73.6 |
| Significance | Minimal Significance |
| Documentation Date | 1/10/2022 |
In 1871, the Northern Pacific Railroad (NP) continued building west from Staples, Minnesota; reaching Moorhead by the end of the year. The line extended to Duluth on the east. The line would be extended west to Bismarck, North Dakota by 1882. In 1877, the St. Paul & Northern Pacific Railway (StP&NP) would purchase and complete the partially built Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad line between Sauk Rapids and Brainerd, a distance of 61 miles. At Brainerd, the line connected to the NP line. Between 1883 and 1884, the StP&NP would complete an additional 66 miles from Northtown Junction in Minneapolis to Sauk Rapids. A 33 mile connection between Little Falls and Staples would be completed by the StP&NP in 1889. In 1896, the NP and StP&NP were sold and reorganized as the Northern Pacific Railway (NP).
NP operated the Minneapolis to Moorhead segment of this line as their mainline between the Twin Cities and the Pacific Coast. As a result, significant reconstruction was done to the original route. The route was double tracked between 1902 and 1910, including a large reconstruction of the route between Hawley and Dilworth. In 1970, NP would merge with rival Great Northern Railway and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy to form Burlington Northern Railroad (BN). In 1996, BN merged with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway to form BNSF Railway. BNSF currently operates the Northtown to Moorhead portion of this line as the Staples Subdivision, and it is one of the busiest railroad lines in Minnesota.
Located on the east side of St. Cloud, this steel beam and concrete bridge is an excellent example of a 1950s grade separation in Minnesota. Built in 1958 as part of a larger project to reconstruct MN-23 and US-10, the bridge consists of a pair of steel stringer spans, approached by a concrete slab span on either end. The entire bridge is set onto concrete substructures. In addition, the outside of the bridge is covered by a concrete fascia girder. The superstructure of the bridge was fabricated by an unknown company, while the substructure was constructed by the Walter D. Giertsen Company. This type of bridge is similar to others designed by the Minnesota Highway Department. A decorative handrail is present on the top of the bridge, and the approach slabs used an arched fascia. Steel stringer spans were commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, due to the ease of construction and durability. Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition. The author has ranked the bridge as being minimally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build Date | National Bridge Inventory (NBI) plaque |
| Contractor | St. Cloud Times; Wednesday, May 1, 1957 |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |