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UP - KK Wisconsin Bridge

Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Photos 

Long Distance View

All these photos were taken with telephoto glass to remain on public property.

The sign above the portal reads "KK RIVER BRIDGE" or, at least, it did before several of the letters fell off. Today, it says. "K RIV R BR DGE"

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in April 2010

Enlarge

BH Photo #163320

Map 

Description 

Heading south from the Chicago & Northwestern Depot in Milwaukee, the double-track mainline crossed the Milwaukee River on the C&NW Milwaukee River Bridge, the largest swing bridge on the Milwaukee River. The line then split with one division going to Chicago. The other, the Madison Division, headed west but not before it crossed the Kinnickinnic River, on this bridge, to Jones Island.

Today, the bridge is (apparently) used sporadically and it appears to parked in the open position. It is surrounded by private property and is very difficult to shoot.

According to Don's Depot, the bridge was controlled from a tower on the top of the bridge. Don says the bridge was referred to as the KK Madison bridge because there was a KK River Bridge on the main line. (That bridge no longer exists.)

Facts 

Overview
Quadrangular Through Truss Swing Bridge over Kinnickinnic River on Union Pacific Railroad
Location
Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Status
Open to traffic
History
Built 200ft upriver in 1880; Relocated here 1898 & widened.
Railroads
- Chicago & North Western Railway (CNW)
- Union Pacific Railroad (UP)
Design
Quadrangular lattice through truss
Dimensions
Span length: 240.0 ft.
Total length: 240.0 ft.
Also called
CNW - KK Wisconsin Bridge Bridge
CNW - Kinnickinnic River Bridge
UP - Kinnickinnic River Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+43.01360, -87.90422   (decimal degrees)
43°00'49" N, 87°54'15" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/426314/4762721 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Milwaukee
Inventory number
BH 44959 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (6,448)
Built 1898 (273)
Built during 1890s (2,589)
Chicago & North Western Railway (1,224)
Kinnickinnic River (9)
Lattice through truss (474)
Lattice truss (505)
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin (146)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin (95)
Movable (2,758)
Navigable waterway (2,074)
Open (37,449)
 Owned by railroad (10,481)
Quadrangular lattice through truss (163)
Railroad (13,849)
Relocated (684)
Riveted (1,971)
Span length 175-250 feet (1,843)
Swing (1,305)
Through truss (13,229)
Total length 175-250 feet (3,902)
Truss (29,968)
Union Pacific Railroad (2,075)
Wisconsin (1,294)

Update Log 

  • November 30, 2016: Updated by Luke: Noted relocation
  • June 7, 2014: Updated by John Marvig: Added information
  • August 3, 2013: Updated by Luke Harden: Added categories "Navigable waterway", "Union Pacific Railroad", "Railroad"
  • April 21, 2010: Added by J.R. Manning

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Sources 

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