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| Name | BNSF Central Avenue Bridge Northern Pacific Railway Bridge #10.5 |
| Built By | Northern Pacific Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company (Lassig Branch of Chicago) |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 117 Feet Total, 40 Foot Main Spans |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck plate girder and concrete slab |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1923 |
| Date Replaced | 2014 |
| Northern Pacific Railway Bridge Number | 10.5 |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 10.5 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 5/23/2014 |
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.
Once located in Northeast Minneapolis, this deck girder and concrete slab bridge carried the BNSF St. Paul Subdivision across Central Avenue (Minnesota Highway 65). Built in 1923 as part of a grade separation project, the bridge featured two 40-foot deck plate girder spans, covered by a concrete fascia and approached by a 17-foot concrete slab span on each end. The entire bridge was set onto concrete substructures, and utilized a ballasted deck. The piers of the bridge utilized a decorative design typical for this era, and the railings of the bridge are also decorative. Bridges such as this were commonly used as grade separations in cities throughout the United States, due to the durability and ease of construction. In 2014, the bridge was replaced by a modern through girder bridge. At the time of replacement, this bridge appeared to be in fair to poor condition, with some spalling and concrete defects noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Shop Drawings from MNDOT Electronic Plan Site |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |