The Mark Morris Memorial Bridge (locally called the North Bridge) is a 2 lane

truss bridge A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. The connected elements, typically straight, may be stressed from tension, compression, or ...

across 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 ...

. It connects the cities of

Clinton, Iowa Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. It borders the Mississippi River. The population was 24,469 as of 2020 United States census, 2020. Clinton, along with DeWitt, Iowa, DeWitt (also located in Clinto ...

and

Fulton, Illinois Fulton is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,481 at the 2010 census, down from 3,881 in 2000. Fulton is located across the Mississippi River from Clinton, Iowa. History A post office called Fulton has been ...

. The bridge may also be known as the Lyons-Fulton Bridge, which was the name of a predecessor bridge and the name listed on the USGS topographical map. The town of Lyons, Iowa, was annexed to Clinton in 1895, but the northern end of the city is still referred to as Lyons. The bridge is the terminus of both Iowa Highway 136 and Illinois Route 136. The 1975 bridge was named in memory Mark Morris, a long time member of the City of Clinton Bridge Commission who died in 1972. Morris was instrumental in the construction of the 1975 bridge and the City of Clinton Bridge Commission named it in his honor. (note that Iowa DOT seems to be combining two persons into one: Mark Benton Morris (1893-1977) of the Iowa State Highway Commission and Mark Nelson Morris (1910-1972), chairman of the Clinton Bridge Commission. Mark Morris Memorial Bridge 02

The bridge was opened in January 1975, replacing an older span upstream that once carried the

Lincoln Highway The Lincoln Highway is one of the first transcontinental highways in the United States and one of the first highways designed expressly for automobiles. Conceived in 1912 by Indiana entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, and formally dedicated Octob ...

U.S. Route 30 U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route of the United States Numbered Highway System, with the highway traveling across the Northern U.S. With a length of , it is the third-longest U.S. Highway, afte ...

.) In 1982, Iowa DOT announced that it would be removing a 20 cent toll from the Gateway Bridge and the Mark Morris bridge beginning January 1983. Iowa and Illinois agreed to split responsibility for the maintenance of the two bridges with Iowa maintaining the Mark Morris bridge and Illinois the Gateway bridge.

1891 bridge

The older span was originally built in 1891 with a wooden deck; this was replaced in 1933 with a metal grate to allow snow to melt through. When the renovation was completed the bridge fathers held a grand ceremony during which a 19-year-old Cedar Rapids high dive artist, Walter W. Simon, dove from the high span into the Mississippi River. He was paid $1.00 per foot for this stunt.

References

Truss bridges in the United States Bridges over the Mississippi River Road bridges in Illinois Lincoln Highway Bridges completed in 1891 Bridges completed in 1975 Buildings and structures in Clinton, Iowa Bridges in Clinton County, Iowa Road bridges in Iowa 1891 establishments in Iowa Former toll bridges in Iowa Former toll bridges in Illinois Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System 1891 establishments in Illinois Metal bridges in the United States Interstate vehicle bridges in the United States U.S. Route 30 {{Iowa-bridge-struct-stub

1891 bridge

See also

References