Bridgehunting with your GPS navigator

It's amazing what can be done with modern GPS navigation systems. I have been able to load the entire bridge database on to my low-end Garmin Nuvi 200 (roughly $150 now). With the data installed as "Custom Points of Interest" I can quickly pull up the locations of all nearby bridges while on the road.

I've uploaded a ZIP file (1.8 MB) containing the necessary POI information for Garmin and possibly other GPS receivers. Inside is bridges.gpi, which can be loaded directly to recent Garmin models, and bridges.gpx, an XML file that can be edited and converted for other receivers.

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Powell Bridge saved

David Backlin sends word that the Powell Bridge in McDonald County, Missouri, will be preserved for pedestrian use after a replacement bridge is built on a new alignment. The county originally intended to tear it down, but will instead give the bridge to the Powell Historical Preservation Society. A fundraiser will be held July 4 to raise money for repairs and preservation costs.

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I-94 Reopens in Wisconsin

The bridges that carry westbound I-94 over the Rock River and the Crawfish River, closed because threats from flood water, have reopened. AM620 WTMJ News reports that Wisconsin DOT has thoroughly inspected both bridges and determined them to be safe. The eastbound lanes will be restricted to one lane on June 27 to facilitate removal of the crossovers that were installed last week.

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Another railroad bridge lost in Iowa

A railroad bridge leading to a Tyson's plant near Columbus Junction, Iowa, collapsed last night, injuring the engineer who had to be rescued from the water. This appears to have been a wooden trestle over a backwater channel.

Officials are worried about the integrity of the Park Road Bridge in Iowa City. This bridge -- and perhaps many others -- may have suffered from scouring by the strong current of the floodwaters.

The Federal government has authorized an emergency $1 million for bridge and road repairs.

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June 24 Iowa update

Workers attempted to pull the wreckage of the Charles City Suspension Bridge out of the river, but were stymied by the soft ground and tangled mess. The good news is that most of the bridge remains on site and didn't wash downstream. It's possible that some can be salvaged as part of a reconstruction.

Three more bridges have been reportedly washed out by the floods, this time in Butler County. Meanwhile, the approaches to two bridges in Cedar County were damaged and could take months to repair.

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June 22 tidbits

• The Lake Taneycomo bridge at Branson, Missouri, is a major bottleneck and the source of much controversy over what to do with it. The latest proposals, however, will ensure that the bridge remains standing.

• Raymond Klein sent this link to a collection of photos from the Dallin Aerial Survey Company, 1924-1941. Lots of bridges are included, although the photos are copyrighted.

• The Highway 99 bridge over the Minnesota River at St. Peter, Minnesota, is on the state's list of bridges to be replaced in the next decade, but officials hope it can be relocated and preserved.

• Here's an interesting concept: an historic bridge bike tour.

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Moscow Covered Bridge to be rebuilt

The Moscow Covered Bridge Festival is still going to be held June 27-29 as planned. The proceeds will be used not only to help victims from the tornado, but also to help rebuild the bridge. Apparently inmates from the New Castle Correctional Facilty are being used to retreive the truss timbers for reuse. If anyone wants to donate to the rebuilding of this impressive structure they can send it to this address.

MainSource Bank
P.O. Box 249
Rushville, IN 46173
Make checks payable to: Moscow Covered Bridge Restoration Fund.

Having spent a great deal of time on and under this bridge, I personally can't wait to see it back in place towering over the Flatrock River.

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June 21 Iowa update

• Two more bridges in Linn County, Iowa, were damaged by flooding. The article is vague about exactly which bridges were affected, but the county engineer believes they can be "lifted back into place."
• The Iowa Department of Transportation has a photo gallery of road and bridge damage.
• If the flooding wasn't bad enough, a bridge near Essex, Iowa, was burned this week under suspicious circumstances.

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Another bridge lost to flooding

The Huntzinger Bridge in Fayette County, Iowa, was another victim of the flooding. From the newspaper description, this was a peculiar structure, with one half a 1916 concrete arch design and the other half a reconstructed 1951 steel beam design. Replacing this bridge and fixing all of the other damage in Fayette County is going to be expensive.

In other flood news, conditions in Wisconsin are improving slightly, with northbound I-39 reopening. Two river crossings on Westbound I-94 lanes are still threatened by high water, but traffic has been diverted to the eastbound side, using quickly constructed crossovers, so the vital Interstate link can carry traffic in both directions.

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Minnesota bridge replacements

The Winona Bridge opened this week to restricted traffic. The faulty gusset plates will be repaired this summer. Meanwhile, Minnesota has announced plans to replace 120 bridges in the next decade, including 11 major bridges.

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