Merriam Street Bridge
Merriam Street Mississippi River Crossing
Minneapolis, MN

Merriam Street Bridge

• Structure ID: NBI: 27664.
• Location: River Mile 854.2.
• River Elevation: 801 Feet.
• Highway: Merriam Street.
• Traffic Count: 1,077 (2001).
• Bridge Type: Steel Truss Through Deck.
• Length: 257 Feet.
• Width: 2 Traffic Lanes, 34 Feet.
• Navigation Channel Width: Non-Navigable.
• Height Above Water: 14 Feet.
• Date Built: Part Of An Original 1887 Bridge.
Claim to fame: this bridge was once part of the Broadway Avenue bridge.

This bridge was part of a much longer multi-span trough truss bridge located at Broadway Avenue. The bridge was removed in the mid-1980's to make way for a new Broadway Avenue bridge. This section was saved. In 1986, it was floated down river, and installed across the secondary channel of the Mississippi River to provide access between Main Street and Nicollet Island. At that time, the bridge received a new concrete deck and a wooden bike path on each side. This project was a very innovative reuse for an old bridge, and the setting could not be better.

Note—this bridge is in the bonus section since it does not cross the main river channel.


Merriam Street Bridge
Merriam Street Bridge

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Photo and text by John A. Weeks III, Copyright © 2005, all rights reserved.
For further information, contact: john@johnweeks.com