Minnesota Highways, February 1958

              .,
mm
bo m mum
VOL.  7,  NO.  4
1246 University Ave., St. Paul 4, Minn.
FEBRUARY,   1958
New Wi Million Bridge Will Span Mississippi at So. Si. Paul
State Parks Are
Recreation Asset
With Minnesota now observing
its centennial year of statehood,
it seems to be an advantageous
time for its people to learn more
about their state so they may better enjoy its benefits as a place
to live.
Most Minnesotans know that
their state has scenic and natural
recreational advantages not surpassed by any other state. To
make enjoyment of these pleasurable resources most easily available   10   the   public,   Minnesota,
(Continued on page 4)
On the above aerial photo is shown the location of the
new 1,870-foot long steel and concrete bridge which will span
the Mississippi river between South St. Paul and Newport,
and the accompanying highway construction extending from
the bridge to T. H. 56 (Concord St.) in South St. Paul and
to T. H. 61, at Newport.
The contract for the bridge
structure, totaling $4,501,195, is
the largest single bridge contract
ever let by the Highway department.
Provides Direct Route
The bridge and roadways extending from it will provide a
direct route between South St.
Paul and Newport as a link in
Interstate Route 393, the Twin
Cities circumferential, and an
improved traffic transfer between
the two major trunk highways
56 and 61.
Trunk Highway 56 is a heavily
traveled route southward from
the Twin Cities to Pine Bend,
Hastings, and southward. Trunk
Highway 61 is a main traffic
artery from eastern Minnesota
southeastward toward Chicago
and southward through the Mississippi valley to New Orleans.
A planned industrial development at. Pine Bend is expected to
increase traffic over both trunk
routes.
The present connection between T. Hs. 56 and 61 in the
vicinity crosses the Mississippi
at Inver Grove, two miles down
river from South St. Paul, on a
two-lane vehicular deck of the
venerable swing span bridge of
the Rock Island railroad.
The new bridge, on which construction was begun last August,
is scheduled to be ready for
traffic  by September,  1959.
By late January, the bridge
was five per cent completed. The
west abutment and piers 10 and
8, at the east end, were completed and pier 9 was partially done.
Excavation was partially completed for pier 1, at the west
end, concrete seal was poured for
pier 2, the pedestal was poured
for pier 3, and the cofferdam was
partially completed for pier 4.
The bridge will have a steel
arch main span 420 feet, nine
inches long. The other spans will
be a combination of plate girder
and beam spans. The navigation
span will have a low steel clearance of 48% feet above high water and a 63 foot clearance above
pool, or normal water level.
There will be two 27-foot roadways divided by a four-foot island. On the west river bank, the
bridge will pass over the easterly Rock Island railroad tracks.
(Continued on page 2)
Safety Council
Honors Hoffmann
For his many years' service to
the cause of traffic safety, M. J.
Hoffmann, former state highway
commissioner, was elected an
honorary life
member of the
Minnesota Safety council at
its recent annual meeting in
St. Paul. Since
his retirement
as commissioner last April,
Mr. Hoffmann
has been a liaison officer in
the Highway
departmen t,
working with consulting bridge
engineers.
Besides his activities for highway safety, as commissioner, Mr.
Hoffmann has promoted traffic
safety as a leader in the state
Safety council, serving for many
years as chairman of its traffic
safety committee, as chairman for
the yearly summer conferences
at Duluth, and as a member of
various  committees.
(Continued on page 6)
Hoffmann