Railroad Bridges in Polk County , Iowa


Polk County is located in central Iowa. The seat and largest city are both Des Moines, the Capital of Iowa.

Random Bridges

Great Western Trail - Frink Creek Culvert (North)

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Great Western Trail - Frink Creek Culvert (North)

(Chicago Great Western Railway Bridge #K214.45)

This small stone arch culvert carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline and Southwest 42nd Street over Frink Creek on the south side of Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Polk County Conservation Board

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built c. 1900 and 1972

by

Unknown

for

Chicago Great Western Railway

Design:
10' stone arch culvert

Description:
Stone arch culvert over Frink Creek

Significance:

Local

RI Branch Little Fourmile Creek Culvert

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RI Branch Little Fourmile Creek Culvert

This small concrete arch culvert carries a former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) secondary line over an unnamed creek west of Altoona

Altoona, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Iowa Department of Transportation

Status: Abandoned

Built 1896

by

Unknown

for

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway

Design:
10' concrete arch culvert

Description:
Concrete arch culvert over unnamed creek

Significance:

Local

Great Western Trail - Frink Creek Culvert (South)

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Great Western Trail - Frink Creek Culvert (South)

(Chicago Great Western Railway Bridge #K213.32)

This small stone arch culvert carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over Frink Creek near Willow Creek Avenue on the south side of Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Polk County Conservation Board

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built c. 1900

by

Unknown

for

Chicago Great Western Railway

Design:
7' stone arch culvert

Description:
Stone arch culvert over Frink Creek

Significance:

Local

Inter-Urban Trail Bridge

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Inter-Urban Trail Bridge

(Wakonsa Bridge)

This historic Pratt through truss bridge carries a former Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway mainline across the Des Moines River downstream from Euclid Avenue in Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: City of Des Moines

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built 1905 using spans fabricated c. 1885

by

Unknown

for

Inter-Urban Railway

Design:
4-125' Pratt through trusses and timber stringer

Description:
Pratt through truss bridge over Des Moines River

Significance:

High

Chicago & North Western Railway Culvert #2115

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Chicago & North Western Railway Culvert #2115

This standard concrete box culvert carries a former Chicago & North Western Railway secondary line over an unnamed creek alongside Northwest 58th Street south of Sheldahl

Sheldahl, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Polk County Conservation Board

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built 1914

by

Cleary-White Construction Company of Chicago, Illinois

for

Chicago & North Western Railway

Design:
6'x5' concrete box culvert

Description:
Concrete box culvert over unnamed creek

Significance:

Local

Des Moines Red Bridge

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Des Moines Red Bridge

(Des Moines Union Railway Bridge)

This iconic through truss bridge carries the former Des Moines Union Railway mainline across the Des Moines River between Court Avenue and Vine Street in Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: City of Des Moines

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built 1891, 1905 and 1945 and 2006

by

Detroit Bridge & Iron Works of Detroit, Michigan; Des Moines Bridge & Iron Works of Des Moines, Iowa; Stupp Brothers Bridge & Iron Company of St. Louis, Missouri and others

for

Des Moines Union Railway

Design:
2-152' Pratt through trusses, 1-78' through plate girder, 1-68' deck plate girder, 1-25' steel stringer and 1-45' steel stringer

Description:
Pratt through truss bridge over Des Moines River

Significance:

High

Clive Greenbelt Trail - Walnut Creek Bridge

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Clive Greenbelt Trail - Walnut Creek Bridge

(Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Bridge #Y-22)

This unique through plate girder bridge carries a former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) branch line over Walnut Creek at Campbell Park in Clive

Clive, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: City of Clive

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built 1917 using a span fabricated 1889

by

Lassig Bridge & Iron Works of Chicago, Illinois

for

Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway

Design:
65' through plate girder and timber pile trestle

Description:
Through plate girder bridge over Walnut Creek

Significance:

Moderate

IAIS Camp Creek Tributary Bridge

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IAIS Camp Creek Tributary Bridge

(Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Bridge #3493)

This deck plate girder bridge carries a former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) secondary line over an unnamed tributary of Camp Creek southwest of Mitchellville

Mitchellville, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Iowa Interstate Railroad

Status: In Use

Built c. 1955 using spans fabricated 1903 and 1907

by

American Bridge Company of New York

for

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway

Design:
1-68' and 2-44' deck plate girders and timber pile trestle

Description:
Deck plate girder bridge over unnamed tributary of Camp Creek

Significance:

Local

IAIS Walnut Creek Bridge (South)

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IAIS Walnut Creek Bridge (South)

(Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Bridge #Y-8)

This abandoned Pratt pony truss bridge carries a former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) branch line over Walnut Creek near Grand Avenue and 63rd Street in Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Norfolk Southern Railway

Status: Abandoned

Built 1917 using a span fabricated 1897

by

Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Company of North Milwaukee, Wisconsin

for

Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway

Design:
106' Pratt pony truss and timber pile trestle

Description:
Pratt pony truss bridge over Walnut Creek

Significance:

Regional

Chichaqua Valley Trail - South Skunk River Bridge

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Chichaqua Valley Trail - South Skunk River Bridge

(Chicago Great Western Bridge #K239.05)

This large deck plate girder bridge carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over the South Skunk River between Santiago and Valeria

Santiago, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Polk County Conservation Board

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built 1921 and 1928

by

American Bridge Company of New York and Unknown

for

Chicago Great Western Railway

Design:
4-70' deck plate girders and timber pile trestle

Description:
Deck plate girder bridge over South Skunk River

Significance:

Local