Richard P. Braun Bridge is a pair of 10-span concrete girder bridge

Girder bridge

A girder bridge, in general, is a bridge built of girders placed on bridge abutments and foundation piers. In turn, a bridge deck is built on top of the girders in order to carry traffic. There are several different subtypes of girder bridges:...

s spanning 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...

 between Brooklyn Park, Minnesota

Brooklyn Park, Minnesota

According to the 2010 census, there were 75,781 people residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 52% White, 24% African American, 1% Native American, 15% Asian, 42 residents identifying themselves as Pacific Islander, 4% from other races, and 4% from two or more races...

 and Coon Rapids, Minnesota

Coon Rapids, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 61,627 people, 22,578 households, and 16,572 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,718.1 people per square mile . There were 22,828 housing units at an average density of 1,007.2 per square mile...

. The eastbound span was built in 1985 to connect Minnesota State Highway 252

Minnesota State Highway 252

Minnesota State Highway 252 is a highway in Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with Interstate Highways 94 and 694 in Brooklyn Center and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with State Highway 610 in Brooklyn Park...

 with Minnesota State Highway 610

Minnesota State Highway 610

Minnesota State Highway 610 is an east–west freeway in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota; located in northern Hennepin County and southern Anoka County. The freeway currently connects U.S. Highway 169 and U.S. Highway 10 . MN 610 crosses the Mississippi River on the Richard P. Braun...

in Coon Rapids. The westbound span was built in 1999 as part of the continued construction of Highway 610 through Brooklyn Park. Richard P Braun is a former Mn/DOT Commissioner from 1979-1986.

There is a walkway on the south side of the bridge that connects a trail along West River Road in Brooklyn Park with a trail along the east side of the river in Coon Rapids. The trail on the east side leads to the Coon Rapids Dam, about a mile and a half north.