Winona Bridge
Video
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Winona Bridge Simulation A simulated view of the new and old Winona bridges as they will function after construction of the new bridge and rehabilitation of the old bridge. Minnesota Department of Transportation |
Description
This historic bridge over the Mississippi River at Winona now carries one-way eastbound traffic. After a new parallel bridge was built to carry the traffic, it was closed starting in 2016 for a complete reconstruction. On July 1, 2019 the ribbon was cut to reopen this bridge to eastbound traffic, with the new parallel bridge now carrying only westbound traffic, bicycles, and pedestrians.Facts
- Overview
- Through truss bridge over Mississippi River on MN 43 in Winona
- Location
- Winona, Winona County, Minnesota
- Status
- Open to two lanes of one-way eastbound traffic
- Future prospects
- Preserved as one half of a two-way couplet.
- History
- Built 1941; rehabilitated 1985, 2008; closed 2016 for reconstruction and reopened July 1, 2019.
- Builders
- - Minneapolis Bridge Co. of Minneapolis, Minnesota (South approach to Main Channel bridge)
- Minnesota Highway Department
- Wisconsin State Highway Commission
- Design
- Cantilevered Warren through truss main span with Warren deck truss and concrete beam approach spans.
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 450.2 ft.
Total length: 2,288.5 ft. (0.4 mi.)
Deck width: 30.8 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 18.0 ft.
- Recognition
- Eligible for the National Register of Historic Places
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +44.05768, -91.64004 (decimal degrees)
44°03'28" N, 91°38'24" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 15/608928/4879178 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Winona West
- Average daily traffic (as of 2004)
- 11,900
- Inventory numbers
- MN 5900 (Minnesota bridge number)
BH 20674 (Bridgehunter.com ID) - Inspection report (as of June 2016)
- Overall condition: Poor
Superstructure condition rating: Poor (4 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Deck condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Sufficiency rating: 24.3 (out of 100)
View more at BridgeReports.com
Update Log
- October 6, 2019: Updated by Roger Deschner: Bridge reopened to traffic July 1, 2019
- June 17, 2018: New photo from John Bernhisel
- October 17, 2017: Updated by Roger Deschner: Bridge is entirely in Minnesota. Removed mention of Wisconsin.
- January 30, 2017: Updated by Roger Deschner: Bridge now closed for rehab
- February 8, 2016: New video from Roger Deschner
- September 14, 2010: New photos from Jason Smith
- July 19, 2010: New photos from Nate Ahrensfeld
- January 22, 2010: Updated by Nathan Holth: Bridge's fate is uncertain, likely will be replaced.
- June 6, 2008: New photos from Historic American Engineering Record
- June 4, 2008: Bridge failed inspection on June 3
Related Bridges
- Winona Bridge (new) (Upstream)
- Winona North Channel Bridge (Same project) - Crosses state line
- Winona High Wagon Bridge (Predecessor)
Sources
- John Weeks Highways, Byways, And Bridge Photography
- Historic American Engineering Record
- Nathan Holth
- Historic American Engineering Record Documentation - HAER Documentation For This Historic Bridge
- Nate Ahrensfeld
- Jason Smith - flensburg [dot] bridgehunter [dot] av [at] googlemail [dot] com
- Wikipedia
- Roger Deschner - rogerdeschner [at] gmail [dot] com
- John Bernhisel - Johnmbernhisel [at] gmail [dot] com
Comments
The bridge was reopened with appropriate pomp and ceremony on July 1, 2019. Article: https://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/winona-bridge-is-bac...
This has got to be a big win-win for both historic bridge preservation and infrastructure upgrades, proving that the concept of reusing the historic bridge as half of a one-way couplet is valid and working, with some compromises like losing parts of the approach spans to keep it within budget.
I was just in Winona. The project is nearing completion - with a significant improvement.
The only part of the approach spans that has been replaced is the westernmost portion, which I believe was originally steel stringer. The deck truss portions of both approach spans appear to have been preserved and rehabilitated, along with the main through truss span. On the west, the two highest deck truss approach spans, and the entire deck truss east approach, have been kept and rehabilitated. Though the westernmost section is now a UCEB, at least the new bents have a similar form to the rest of the original bridge. This should be regarded overall as a win.
This bridge will reopen soon to eastbound one-way traffic. A 78 year old steel truss bridge, renewed for another 78 years. I bet it outlasts the new concrete box girder bridge parallel to it.
Apparently good news here. After some uncertainty over cost, MNDOT will rehab the main steel truss spans of the old bridge after all, but they'll completely replace the approach spans in what appears to be a compromise to keep the overall project within budget. They will be replaced one at a time to maintain contractor access for rehabbing the main steel truss spans at the same time. First Minnesota end, then Wisconsin. So it will indeed wind up as an old/new couplet of 1-way bridges.
I was just through Winona, and I drove across the new westbound bridge. It has opened to 2-way traffic until work on the old bridge is completed and it's reopened for eastbound traffic in 2019. Demolition work has begun on the west (Minnesota) approach spans.
http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/fixing-the-winona-bri...
Will Minnesota DOT renege on bridge promise?
http://www.winonapost.com/Article/ArticleID/47884/Will-MnDOT...
Here we see a fine two-bridge solution under construction. The new concrete box-girder bridge will carry westbound traffic, while the historic truss bridge will carry eastbound traffic. Temporarily, the new bridge will carry both directions, while the old bridge is closed for a thorough rehabilitation. The slim profile of the new bridge will not interfere much with sight lines of the historic truss bridge, especially from the south and the Downtown Winona riverfront.
I only wish such an arrangement could be worked out for a couple of other historic bridges facing demolition, such as Savannah-Sabula. http://bridgehunter.com/il/carroll/8600001777/
It's good they're keeping the old bridge. In MN, it's somewhat rare to see an old bridge and a new bridge side by side. The last old/newer bridge combo I can recall was the I-94 bridge over the St. Croix river that lasted till the mid-90's when the old bridge was demolished.
MnDOT project page:
Sounds like they want a two bridge solution here, with a new girder bridge taking some of the load off this historic bridge. http://www.dot.state.mn.us/d6/projects/winonabridge/docs/ea....
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/mn/winona/winona/
Runner-up, Best Example of a Restored Historic Bridge US/Canada - 2019 Authors Choice Awards, The Bridgehunter's Chronicles. https://bridgehunterschronicles.wordpress.com/2020/01/11/201...