Main Channel Bridge (Winona) consists of a pair of bridges, the original

cantilever bridge A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end (called cantilevers). For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beam (structure), beams; however, large cantilever ...

, and a concrete box girder bridge completed in 2016, that span the main channel of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

between

Winona, Minnesota Winona ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Winona County, Minnesota, United States. Located in bluff country on the Mississippi River, its most noticeable physical landmark is Sugar Loaf (Winona, Minnesota), Sugar Loaf. The population was 2 ...

, and Latsch Island. Another bridge, the North Channel Bridge, connects the island to rural Buffalo County,

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

. The bridge carries

Minnesota State Highway 43 Minnesota State Highway 43 (MN 43) is a highway in southeast Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highway 44 in Mabel and continues north to its northern terminus at the Wisconsin state line at Winona, where it becomes Wisco ...

, which continues as

Wisconsin Highway 54 State Trunk Highway 54 (often called Highway 54, STH-54 or WIS 54) is a Wisconsin State Highway system, Wisconsin state highway running east–west across central Wisconsin. It is in length. Route description Minnesota state line to Plo ...

at the Minnesota/Wisconsin state line on the nearby North Channel Bridge; in Winona, it connects to Winona Street. Construction on the original cantilever bridge was started just before the U.S. entered

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and the construction was hastened to finish in November 1942, despite labor shortages, difficulty obtaining materials, and high water. It was built in 1941–1942 by the

Minnesota Department of Transportation The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT, ) oversees Transportation in Minnesota, transportation by all modes including land, water, air, rail, walking and bicycling in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The Cabinet (government), cabinet-lev ...

(MnDOT). On May 17, 2008, the

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...

announced that the bridge would be on the Minnesota

sesquicentennial An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded. Most countries celebrate national anniversaries, typically called national days. These could be the date of independence of the nation or the adoption o ...

commemorative stamp. Following an inspection of the bridge's

gusset plates In structural engineering and construction, a gusset plate is a plate for connecting beams and girders to columns. A gusset plate can be fastened to a permanent member either by bolts, rivets or welding or a combination of the three. They are ...

, the Minnesota Department of Transportation closed the bridge on June 3, 2008, with over detours as an alternative. The bridge reopened on June 14, 2008. After considering a number of alternatives, including rehabilitation of only the original bridge, or construction of a new bridge and demolition of the original bridge, on August 23, 2012, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced approval for plans to build a new two-lane concrete box girder bridge, prior to rehabilitating the original bridge. Construction of the new bridge began immediately upstream of the cantilever bridge in July 2014, and opened for traffic in August 2016. Following the opening of the new bridge, the original cantilever bridge closed for rehabilitation. The rehabilitated cantilever bridge opened July 1, 2019, allowing 2 lanes in each direction.

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References

External links

*, includes both Main Channel and North Channel bridges {{Crossings navbox , structure = Crossings , place =

, bridge = Main Channel Bridge (Winona) , bridge signs = , upstream = Wabasha-Nelson Bridge , upstream signs = , downstream =

I-90 Mississippi River Bridge The I-90 Mississippi River Bridge, or the Dresbach Bridge, consists of a pair of parallel bridges that traverse the Mississippi River, connecting the La Crosse, Wisconsin area to Dresbach in rural Winona County, Minnesota. The current bridge ...

, downstream signs = ----

Winona Rail Bridge (historical) The Winona Rail Bridge was a swing bridge that spanned the Mississippi River between Winona, Minnesota, and Winona Junction in Buffalo, Buffalo County, Wisconsin. It was built to link the Winona and St. Peter Railroad with the La Crosse, Trem ...

(partial) Road bridges in Minnesota Bridges over the Mississippi River Bridges completed in 1942 Road bridges in Wisconsin 1942 establishments in Minnesota Steel bridges in the United States Concrete bridges in the United States Box girder bridges in the United States Cantilever bridges in the United States Historic American Engineering Record in Minnesota Historic American Engineering Record in Wisconsin Interstate vehicle bridges in the United States

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References

External links