{{Short description|Tied-arch bridge that crosses the Mississippi River in Minneapolis}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox Bridge |bridge_name=Lowry Avenue Bridge |image= Lowry Ave Bridge, Minneapolis, MN, March 2015.jpg |image_size=300px |caption=The new bridge, completed in 2012 and pictured in 2015 |official_name= |crosses=Mississippi River |carries=Four lanes of CSAH 153 (Lowry Avenue North) |locale=Minneapolis, Minnesota |design=Basket handle tied-arch bridge,{{citation needed|date=March 2017}} steel |mainspan={{convert|450|ft|sigfig=3}} |length={{convert|1576|ft}} |width={{convert|107|ft}} |below={{convert|37|ft}} |open=October 2012 |maint=Hennepin County, Minnesota |id=27B60 |coordinates= {{coord|45|00|47|N|93|16|28|W|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,title}} |lat= |long= |clearance= |traffic= |closed= |toll= }} {{Infobox Bridge |bridge_name=Lowry Avenue Bridge |image=Lowry Avenue Bridge.jpg |image_size=300px |caption=A view of the 1958 bridge from the west bank of the Mississippi south of the bridge, showing four of the five truss spans. |official_name= |crosses=Mississippi River |carries=Two lanes of CSAH 153 (Lowry Avenue North) |locale=Minneapolis, Minnesota |design=Truss bridge |mainspan=143 feet |length=889 feet |width=57.2 feet |below=33 feet |open=1905; remodeled in 1958, 2006 |maint=Hennepin County, Minnesota |id=2723(726) |coordinates= |lat= |long= |clearance= |traffic=16,600 (2001) |closed= 2008 (demolished 2009) |toll= }}
The '''Lowry Avenue Bridge''' is a steel tied-arch bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, completed in October 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://finance-commerce.com/2012/10/rolling-out-the-lowry-avenue-bridge/ |title=Rolling out the Lowry Avenue bridge |publisher=Finance & Commerce |author=Drew Kerr |date=October 26, 2012 |quote=The Lowry Avenue bridge is opening on Saturday, Oct. 27, four years after officials demolished its predecessor. The new bridge includes an anti-icing system, LED lighting and a storm water management system. }}</ref>
==History== The original structure was built in 1905 and utilized a 5-span truss bridge design.<ref name="Star">{{cite news | last = Blake | first = Laurie | title = Lowry Avenue Bridge | publisher = Star Tribune | date = 2009-06-21 | url = http://www.startribune.com/local/48726932.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUnciaec8O7EyUsl | access-date = 2009-06-22}}</ref> This bridge lasted 51 years until it became too weak to carry traffic.
In 1958, five new truss spans were built in this location, using the same piers but raised 20 feet to allow navigation on the upper Mississippi River. This bridge was notable in that it had a steel grid deck where the river was visible directly through the mesh, as opposed to the (currently) more common concrete deck.<ref name="Star2">{{cite news | last = Walsh | first = Paul | title = Lowry Av. Bridge coming down today | publisher = Star Tribune | date = 2009-06-21 | url = http://www.startribune.com/local/48687682.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DU2EPaL_V_9E7ODiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU | access-date = 2009-06-22}}</ref>
Lead-based paint was removed from the bridge during a 2004 repainting effort and the steel grid deck was replaced in 2003. At this time, the bridge was expected to be replaced in the mid-2010s, and community meetings were held in 2007 to choose a design for the new span. However, the timetable to replace the bridge was accelerated as the condition of the 100-year-old piers deteriorated.
During the 2004 repainting, engineers discovered that the pier 3 bearings (east side of navigation channel) had displaced roughly 11 inches east of their original location as a result of unexpected movement of that pier (west) towards the main river channel. Hennepin County contracted with Wiss, Janey, Elstner and Associates (WJE) to investigate and report on the cause and extent of damage. The consultant's report concluded that evidence suggested the pier underwent many years, perhaps 50, of creep deflection due to sustained lateral earth pressure at the foundation which was held in check by the bearing assemblies. The bearing assemblies ultimate strength was finally overcome sometime in 2004 which allowed the unrestrained and rapid movement of the pier. The structural engineers at WJE were unable to predict the magnitude of future pier displacements.<ref>LOWRY AVENUE BRIDGE:Investigation of Westward Displacement of Pier 3, 2004 - Wiss, Janey, Elstner and Associates</ref>
Hennepin County, which owns and maintains the bridge, closed the bridge at 10:00 AM on April 25, 2008, due to safety concerns.<ref name="Star"/><ref>{{cite news | last = Foti | first = Jim | title = Lowry Avenue Bridge to be shut down | publisher = Star Tribune | date = 2008-04-25 | url = http://www.startribune.com/local/18140934.html | access-date = 2009-06-22 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091013141118/http://www.startribune.com/local/18140934.html | archive-date = 2009-10-13 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Controlled explosions were used to demolish the bridge spans 14 months later on the morning of June 21, 2009.
Construction of the $80 million replacement bridge began early 2010 and was opened for traffic on October 27, 2012, at a cost of $104 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/02/15/new-lowry-bridge-still-on-track-to-reopen-in-summer/ |title=New Lowry Bridge Still On Track To Reopen In Summer |date=February 15, 2012 |access-date=18 June 2012}}</ref> The bridge includes a protected, {{convert|12|ft|m|adj=on}} shared-use path on both sides for pedestrians and bikes.<ref>Johnson, Matt M. {{cite web |url=https://finance-commerce.com/2011/09/lowry-avenue-bridge-is-a-new-take-on-the-arch/ |title=Lowry Avenue Bridge is a new take on the arch | publisher = Finance & Commerce |date=February 15, 2012 |access-date=18 June 2012}}</ref>
==See also== * List of crossings of the Upper Mississippi River
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6TP_RcKHVY Animation of Replacement Bridge]
{{Crossings navbox |structure = Crossings |place = Mississippi River |bridge = Lowry Avenue Bridge |bridge signs = |upstream = Canadian Pacific Camden Place Rail Bridge |upstream signs = |downstream = Northern Pacific-BNSF Minneapolis Rail Bridge |downstream signs = }}
Category:Bridges in Minneapolis Category:Bridges over the Mississippi River Category:Bridges completed in 1887 Category:Bridges completed in 1905 Category:Bridges completed in 1958 Category:Road bridges in Minnesota Category:Steel bridges in the United States Category:Tied arch bridges in the United States Category:Truss bridges in the United States Category:1887 establishments in Minnesota Category:Shared-use paths in Minneapolis