The Second Hannibal Bridge is a rail bridge over the Missouri River in Kansas City, Missouri, connecting

Jackson County, Missouri Jackson County is located in the western portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 717,204. making it the second-most populous county in the state (after St. Louis County). Although Independence retains ...

, with

Clay County, Missouri Clay County is located in the U.S. state of Missouri and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 253,335, making it the fifth-most populous county in Missouri. Its county seat is Lib ...

. Opened in 1917, the bridge replaced the original

Hannibal Bridge The First Hannibal Bridge was the first permanent rail crossing of the Missouri River and helped establish Kansas City, Missouri as a major city and rail center. The increased train traffic resulting from its construction also contributed to th ...

which crossed the river about downstream on the northern bank, but at virtually the same location on the southern bank. There are two decks on the bridge: the lower deck carried the railroad and the upper was for vehicular traffic. After the Buck O'Neil Bridge opened in 1956, vehicular traffic was switched over to the new span and the auto deck was removed later that year. The bridge is owned and maintained by the BNSF Railway and carries two tracks. A bridge tender at the bridge can open and close the drawspan as well as operate the nearby

ASB Bridge The Armour-Swift-Burlington (ASB) Bridge, also known as the North Kansas City Bridge and the LRC Bridge, is a rail crossing over the Missouri River in Kansas City, Missouri, that formerly handled automobile traffic. History The piers were built ...

, which is also owned by BNSF. The Hannibal Bridge survived the 1951 Kansas City flood after being hit by four river boats that tore loose from the mouth of the

Kansas River The Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, is a river in northeastern Kansas in the United States. It is the southwesternmost part of the Missouri River drainage, which is in turn the northwesternmost portion of the extensive Mississippi River dr ...

, forcing the swinging span open.

References

Bridges in Kansas City, Missouri Bridges completed in 1917 BNSF Railway bridges Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Bridges over the Missouri River Buildings and structures in Clay County, Missouri Railroad bridges in Missouri Road-rail bridges in the United States Road bridges in Missouri {{Missouri-bridge-struct-stub

See also

References