West Bridge (Bridge 6527)
See features of the bridge
History and significance
The West Bridge is a Warren through truss built in 1908. It crosses the Watonwan River in Madelia Township in Watonwan County, and was converted from vehicular to pedestrian use in 1990. It is currently closed to all traffic. The West Bridge is significant as an example of the work of Commodore P. Jones, a bridge builder important to the history of bridge building in Minnesota. It is also significant as the earliest Warren through truss bridge remaining in Minnesota, and for its early use of riveted connections before 1913, when such connections became standard for steel highway bridges based on the specifications of the State Highway Commission of Minnesota.
Location
City of Madelia (Watonwan County)
Latitude, Longitude:
44.04446418, -94.43175090
Bridge features
Design and construction of riveted Warren through truss with verticals.
Use of rivets at panel point connections rather than pin connections, which would have been standard practice at this time; riveted connections were not yet required by the Minnesota State Highway Commission.