Hastings High Bridge
Encyclopedia
Hastings High Bridge is a continuous steel through truss bridge
that spans the Mississippi River
in Hastings, Minnesota
. It was built in 1951 and was designed by Sverdrup and Parcel
. It had been scheduled to be torn down and replaced with a new bridge by MNDot
in the year 2019, but after the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, it was re-prioritized and started construction in 2010.
replaced a spiral bridge built in 1895. The spiral bridge was built because local residents wanted the bridge to end in the downtown business district, rather than bypass it.
In order to make the bridge level, a spiral approach was built on the south end of the bridge. Drivers would get onto the bridge in downtown Hastings, make one complete circle on the spiral, and then cross the river
. This bridge served the community well for many years, but towards the end of its lifespan it was rust
ed and could only support a 4-ton load. School buses filled with children were too heavy to make the trip, so the children had to walk across the bridge while the driver drove the empty bus across.
After the new bridge was built, the old bridge was given to the city, but they could not raise the necessary funds to maintain it. The old bridge was torn down, to the dismay of local residents who felt they had lost a city symbol.
A replica of the bridge has been built and can be seen at the Little Log House Pioneer Village south of Hastings.
Continuous truss bridge
A continuous truss bridge is a truss bridge which extends without hinges or joints across three or more supports. A continuous truss bridge may use less material than a series of simple trusses because a continuous truss distributes live loads across all the spans; in a series of simple trusses,...
that spans 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...
in Hastings, Minnesota
Hastings, Minnesota
Hastings is a city in Dakota counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota, near the confluence of the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers. The population was 22,172 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dakota County. The bulk of Hastings is in Dakota County; only a small part of the city extends...
. It was built in 1951 and was designed by Sverdrup and Parcel
Sverdrup & Parcel
Sverdrup & Parcel was an American civil engineering company formed in 1928 by Leif J. Sverdrup and his college engineering professor John I. Parcel. The company worked primarily in a specialty field of bridges. Many of the company's projects were located in the St...
. It had been scheduled to be torn down and replaced with a new bridge by MNDot
Minnesota Department of Transportation
The Minnesota Department of Transportation oversees transportation by land, water, and air in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The cabinet-level agency is responsible for maintaining the state's trunk highway system The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT, pronounced "min-dot") oversees...
in the year 2019, but after the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, it was re-prioritized and started construction in 2010.
Condition
Following the August 1, 2007 collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge, the Hastings High Bridge was inspected between August 20, 2007 and August 31, 2007. An executive summary of the inspection report was released on January 15, 2008, questioning whether the bridge was capable of sustaining its 40 ton posted capacity, and calling for a load analysis to be performed immediately.The Spiral Bridge
The current bridgeBridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
replaced a spiral bridge built in 1895. The spiral bridge was built because local residents wanted the bridge to end in the downtown business district, rather than bypass it.
In order to make the bridge level, a spiral approach was built on the south end of the bridge. Drivers would get onto the bridge in downtown Hastings, make one complete circle on the spiral, and then cross the river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
. This bridge served the community well for many years, but towards the end of its lifespan it was rust
Rust
Rust is a general term for a series of iron oxides. In colloquial usage, the term is applied to red oxides, formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of water or air moisture...
ed and could only support a 4-ton load. School buses filled with children were too heavy to make the trip, so the children had to walk across the bridge while the driver drove the empty bus across.
After the new bridge was built, the old bridge was given to the city, but they could not raise the necessary funds to maintain it. The old bridge was torn down, to the dismay of local residents who felt they had lost a city symbol.
A replica of the bridge has been built and can be seen at the Little Log House Pioneer Village south of Hastings.