Minneapolis history. The bridge piers of the 1889 bridge still remain. These
remnants add interesting cultural and historic elements to the river and
should be left in place.
As part of the rebuilding and repair of the bridge someone has made a
decision that those beautiful and interesting artifacts have to be removed
because someday someone might climb on them and be injured. I have asked the
County to leave the piers as they are and to not remove them, but I was told
MNDOT is requiring the removal as part of their permit process.
This doesn't make any sense to me.
With the closing of the upper lock, the piers have no impact on commercial
navigation.
It will cost the county a significant amount of money to remove the piers.
It is also a very important history of the stonework of bridge
construction with the next bridge down river ( The RR bridge at 27th) having
interlocking stones that still support an existing bridge that supports
freight
trains versus just a stacking of rocks that was built around the same time,
and
is falling down.
The other pier in the river:
http://www.startribune.com/on-the-mississippi-a-piece-of-river-history-is-wa
shing-away/262917191/
The current bridge:
Historic Profile: Connecting south and southeast Minneapolis, the Franklin
Avenue Bridge was constructed between 1919 and 1923. Two prominent
Norwegian engineers, Frederick William Cappelen and Kristoffer Olsen Oustad
were
commissioned to plan, design, and construct a bridge that would cross the
Mississippi River, a distance of over 1,000 feet. In order to convey a sense
of permanence and beauty in the scenic surroundings, the engineers chose a
steel reinforced arched concrete bridge. The Franklin Avenue Bridge gained
notoriety at the time of its construction for including the longest
concrete arch in the world. The total length of the bridge is 1054 feet with a
vertical clearance of 88 feet. In 1971, the bridge was closed and
reconditioned. When it re-opened it included four lanes of traffic and
pedestrian
walkways. Engineer Frederick William Cappelen died during the construction of
the bridge, and as a memorial to his life and career, the bridge still bears
his name.
It is frustrating to lose something of significant historical value
because of a decision making process immune to cultural relevance.
Thanks,
Scott Vreeland
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
Commissioner District # 3
( 612) 721-7892