Consider the steady stream of traffic overhead. This is the 16th Avenue Bridge. It stands as a testament to Minneapolis’s history and engineering.
The 16th Avenue Bridge is not just a way to cross the Midtown Greenway. It is a piece of history. The bridge is a contributing resource to a National Register of Historic Places Historic District. It adds to the area’s historical value.
Back in 1916, the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railroad built this bridge. It was part of a series of bridges. These bridges separated rail traffic from city streets. This separation was essential for safety and efficiency.
The 16th Avenue Bridge shares its design with its counterparts. It features a three-span, cast-in-place, reinforced-concrete T-beam structure. This rests on round-arch piers. Classic Revival details adorn the railings, parapet walls, and wingwalls. These include ornamental recessed panels and pilasters.
Originally, trains rumbled beneath the bridge. Beginning in 2000, the rail lines were removed. The corridor transformed into the Midtown Greenway. Today, it is a recreational trail maintained by the City of Minneapolis.
In 2013, the 16th Avenue Bridge underwent rehabilitation. Workers reinforced the superstructure using precast concrete panels. They installed supporting corbels. The concrete abutments and parapet walls received repairs. A new tubular steel and cable railing was added.
ONE designed and developed plans for the bridge rehabilitation along with the precast panels. Laser scan data was manipulated to measure each individual opening to allow shop level drawings to be generated for the precast panels.
The 16th Avenue Bridge is located in Minneapolis. Its precise location is at Latitude 44.950319 and Longitude -93.253751.
As you pass beneath the 16th Avenue Bridge. Remember its story. It represents Minneapolis’s evolving urban landscape.