The Centennial Bridge is a

through arch bridge A through arch bridge, also known as a through-type arch bridge, is a bridge that is made from materials such as steel or reinforced concrete, in which the base of an arch structure is below the deck but the top rises above it. It can either be lo ...

road bridge over the

Missouri River The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...

connecting

Leavenworth, Kansas Leavenworth () is the county seat and largest city of Leavenworth County, Kansas, Leavenworth County, Kansas, United States. Part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, Leavenworth is located on the west bank of the Missouri River, on the site o ...

, and

Platte County, Missouri Platte County is a county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 106,718. Its county seat is Platte City. The county was o ...

. Constructed in 1955, it was initially a toll bridge. The bridge opened in 1955, a year after Leavenworth celebrated its

centennial A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century. Notable events Notable centennial events at a national or world-level include: * Centennial Exhibition, 1876, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...

as the first city incorporated in Kansas. It is a two-span arch bridge connecting K-92 and

Missouri Route 92 Route 92 is a highway in Platte and Clay counties in northwestern Missouri, United States. Its western terminus is a continuation of K-92 on the Centennial Bridge over the Missouri River at the Kansas state line, and the eastern terminus is ...

. Its main span is 419.8 feet, and its total length is 2,571.2 feet. During the construction a spur of

Route 45 The following highways are numbered 45: International * AH45, Asian Highway 45 * European route E45 Burma *National Road 45 (Burma) Canada * Alberta Highway 45 * Manitoba Highway 45 * Ontario Highway 45 * Saskatchewan Highway 45 China * ...

called the "Leavenworth cutoff" was built to speed traffic to

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...

. The two-mile spur, even though it is in Missouri, was maintained by the city of Leavenworth until the tolls were removed from the Centennial Bridge in May 1977. The bridge is now maintained by the

Kansas Department of Transportation The Kansas Department of Transportation (KSDOT) is a state government organization in charge of maintaining public roadways of the U.S. state of Kansas. Funding issues Since 2012, over $2 billion has been diverted from its coffers to the Kans ...

History

The Centennial Bridge replaced the Fort Bridge, which opened in 1872. The old bridge was a mile upstream and connected

Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...

and the penitentiary farm. The bridge opened with a

ribbon cutting An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly constructed location or the start of an event.

on April 2, 1955. Five thousand were in attendance to see Representative William R. Hull of Missouri and

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

Frank Carlson Frank Carlson (January 23, 1893May 30, 1987) was an American politician who served as the 30th governor of Kansas, Kansas State representative, United States representative, and United States senator from Kansas. Carlson is the only Kansan to ...

of Kansas cut the ribbon. The bridge cost $3.5 million to build and opened as a toll road to repay bonds used to finance the construction. Tolls were initially set at $0.15 for passenger cars and $0.15 per axle for trucks. A plaque on one of the

piers Piers may refer to: * Pier, a raised structure over a body of water * Pier (architecture), an architectural support * Piers (name), a given name and surname (including lists of people with the name) * Piers baronets, two titles, in the baronetages ...

read "A memorial dedicated to those who gave their lives to their country, 1854-1954." Six and a half miles 10.46 kmof new road and bridge was needed to connect to Metropolitan Avenue in Leavenworth on the Kansas side and

and the existing section

on the Missouri side. Toll revenue was less than expected after the bridge opened. A portion of vehicles that crossed the Fort Bridge were going to Platte County, where cigarettes and alcohol could be purchased at a lower price. When the Centennial Bridge opened, the toll cost plus the

alcohol law Alcohol laws are laws relating to manufacture, Drinking alcohol, use, as Drunkeness, being under the influence of and sale of Alcohol (drug), alcohol (also known formally as ethanol) or alcoholic beverages. Common alcoholic beverages include bee ...

that prohibited possession of out-of-state beverages reduced traffic on the new bridge below expectations.

Potential replacement

In 2016, the City of Leavenworth, Kansas Department of Transportation, Missouri Department of Transportation and other partners began a location study to plan for replacement of the bridge. The "Route 92 Centennial Bridge Study," conducted by professional engineers and planners, determined that the current site is the best location for a replacement bridge, recommended a 4-lane single-span bridge and recommended tolling to pay for the bridge since little funding was available. In early 2020, Kansas Governor

Laura Kelly Laura Jeanne Kelly (born January 24, 1950)"Laura Kelly,"
''Kansapedia,'' Kansas H ...

announced an Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program that included the K-92 Centennial Bridge in its plans for replacement. Date of construction is to be determined.

References

External links

Midwestplaces.com profile
{{Crossings navbox , structure = Crossings , place =

, bridge = Centennial Bridge , bridge signs = , upstream = Kansas and Missouri Bridge (demolished) , upstream signs = , downstream = Terminal Bridge (demolished) , downstream signs = Railway Road bridges in Kansas Bridges completed in 1955 Buildings and structures in Leavenworth County, Kansas Bridges over the Missouri River Buildings and structures in Platte County, Missouri Through arch bridges in the United States Road bridges in Missouri Buildings and structures in Leavenworth, Kansas Former toll bridges in Kansas Former toll bridges in Missouri 1955 establishments in Kansas Interstate vehicle bridges in the United States

History

Potential replacement

See also

References

External links