Meridian Highway Bridge
Official name	Meridian Highway Bridge
Carries	Closed, previously 2 lanes of US 81
Crosses	Missouri River
Locale	Yankton, South Dakota and Cedar County, Nebraska
Design	Vertical lift bridge double deck, Pratt through truss
Total length	3013 feet
Width	33 feet
Longest span	1668 feet
Clearance below	feet
Opened	1924
Coordinates	42°51′52.47″N 97°23′38.31″W / 42.864575°N 97.393975°W / 42.864575; -97.393975

The Meridian Highway Bridge is a bridge that formerly carried US Route 81 across the Missouri River from the Nebraska border to the South Dakota border. The Meridian Highway Bridge connects Yankton, South Dakota, with rural Cedar County, Nebraska. The Meridian Bridge is a double deck bridge, with the top level having carried traffic into South Dakota from Nebraska, and the lower level having carried traffic into Nebraska from South Dakota.

Contents 1 History 2 Future 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

The dedication ceremony was held on October 11, 1924 and the bridge opened as a toll bridge. It was the last link of the Meridian Highway, which became U.S. Route 81, to be completed. It was designed for use by trains for the lower half of the bridge, vehicular traffic on the upper half, and a lift mechanism to aid river traffic. However, trains never used the lower half, so it was converted to use by southbound traffic, with northbound traffic using the upper half of the bridge and the lift mechanism was removed. In 1953, all tolls were lifted. ^[1]

On May 9, 2008, a 10-ton gross weight limit was placed on the bridge after an inspection found corrosion on the gusset plates. The bridge will continue to be monitored while temporary repair options are being investigated. It was replaced by the Discovery Bridge upon its opening on October 11, 2008, exactly 84 years after the dedication of the Meridian Highway Bridge. ^[2][3]

[edit] Future

With completion of the Discovery Bridge, the Meridian Bridge is being converted into a pedestrian/bike trail. ^[4]

[edit] See also

• List of crossings of the Missouri River
• Discovery Bridge (Yankton)
• List of historic bridges in Nebraska

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Historic Bridges of Nebraska - Meridian Bridge

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