Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Dubuque–Wisconsin Bridge is a steel tied arch bridge
connecting Dubuque, Iowa
, with still largely rural Grant County, Wisconsin
. It is an automobile bridge that traverses the Mississippi River
. It is one of two automobile bridges in the Dubuque area. A railroad bridge is between them. The Julien Dubuque Bridge
, the other automobile bridge, is located about three miles (5 km) south.
The bridge is a four lane, limited access bridge. It is part of the US Highway 61/151 route. This bridge replaced the older Eagle Point Bridge
that previously served as the connection between Dubuque and Wisconsin.
was no longer adequate for the city's needs. They determined that a four lane bridge would be needed for the increasing traffic that was anticipated.
Several names for the bridge were considered for the new bridge. Included among the names suggested was one that honored the pioneer priest Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli
.
Construction was delayed when a Native American
burial site was found on part of the proposed Wisconsin approach. A Winnebago
medicine man was brought in to bless the site so that the remains could be moved.
Upon completion in 1983, traffic was shifted over from the Eagle Point Bridge
to the new bridge. The Eagle Point Bridge was demolished soon after. In the early 1990s the approach to the bridge was rebuilt to accommodate the new four lane US 61/151 highway being built in Dubuque. During the rebuilding of the Julien Dubuque Bridge, traffic from U.S. Highway 20 was detoured on to this bridge. In 2003 the deck of the bridge was rebuilt and the bridge cleaned.
Tied arch bridge
A tied-arch bridge is an arch bridge in which the outward-directed horizontal forces of the arch, or top chord, are borne as tension by the bottom chord , rather than by the ground or the bridge foundations...
connecting Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
, with still largely rural Grant County, Wisconsin
Grant County, Wisconsin
Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 49,597. Its county seat is Lancaster. Estimates for 2008 show a population of 49,238...
. It is an automobile bridge that traverses the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. It is one of two automobile bridges in the Dubuque area. A railroad bridge is between them. The Julien Dubuque Bridge
Julien Dubuque Bridge
The Julien Dubuque Bridge traverses the Mississippi River. It joins the cities of Dubuque, Iowa, and East Dubuque, Illinois. The bridge is part of the U.S. Highway 20 route...
, the other automobile bridge, is located about three miles (5 km) south.
The bridge is a four lane, limited access bridge. It is part of the US Highway 61/151 route. This bridge replaced the older Eagle Point Bridge
Eagle Point Bridge
The Eagle Point Bridge was a very narrow two lane automobile bridge that connected urban Dubuque, Iowa and rural Grant County, Wisconsin. It was part of the US 61/US 151 route, and was a toll bridge. After the new Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge was built in 1983, the Eagle Point Bridge was torn down...
that previously served as the connection between Dubuque and Wisconsin.
History
In the late 1970s and the early 1980s city officials became convinced that the Eagle Point BridgeEagle Point Bridge
The Eagle Point Bridge was a very narrow two lane automobile bridge that connected urban Dubuque, Iowa and rural Grant County, Wisconsin. It was part of the US 61/US 151 route, and was a toll bridge. After the new Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge was built in 1983, the Eagle Point Bridge was torn down...
was no longer adequate for the city's needs. They determined that a four lane bridge would be needed for the increasing traffic that was anticipated.
Several names for the bridge were considered for the new bridge. Included among the names suggested was one that honored the pioneer priest Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli
Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli
Father Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, O.P. was a pioneer Italian Catholic missionary who helped bring the church to the Iowa-Illinois-Wisconsin tri-state area. He founded a number of parishes in the area, and was the architect for a number of parish buildings.-Background:Father Mazzuchelli was born...
.
Construction was delayed when a Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
burial site was found on part of the proposed Wisconsin approach. A Winnebago
Ho-Chunk
The Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago, are a tribe of Native Americans, native to what is now Wisconsin and Illinois. There are two federally recognized Ho-Chunk tribes, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska....
medicine man was brought in to bless the site so that the remains could be moved.
Upon completion in 1983, traffic was shifted over from the Eagle Point Bridge
Eagle Point Bridge
The Eagle Point Bridge was a very narrow two lane automobile bridge that connected urban Dubuque, Iowa and rural Grant County, Wisconsin. It was part of the US 61/US 151 route, and was a toll bridge. After the new Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge was built in 1983, the Eagle Point Bridge was torn down...
to the new bridge. The Eagle Point Bridge was demolished soon after. In the early 1990s the approach to the bridge was rebuilt to accommodate the new four lane US 61/151 highway being built in Dubuque. During the rebuilding of the Julien Dubuque Bridge, traffic from U.S. Highway 20 was detoured on to this bridge. In 2003 the deck of the bridge was rebuilt and the bridge cleaned.