Future of BNSF Ft. Madison Bridge

[longhorn1969]

Cross over the river before south of the yard and away from the city. The land on the other side is mostly farm or rural.

[Overmod]

rrnut282

If you don't have room for fill, you use long approach spans as needed.  Of course, this adds to the cost.  

I think y'all need to go back and look at this bridge and the traffic across it before doing crayonista engineering for HSR speeds.

Now, if you want high-speed line capability across the Mississippi a very good alternative was installed by BNSF as part of the old Frisco bridge renovation a couple of years ago: the replacement piers under the single track were widened both sides, to permit three tracks.  While you'd need some modification to Chinese self-launching viaduct construction equipment, it would be fairly easy to provide directional raised routes over 20' apart the entire width of the river plus allowing the existing approach curve on the east side.

The difficult part of the exercise is figuring what connections into Memphis from the east would be high-speed enough to merit what the new bridge would support.  Very theoretically you might get something via the new interstate construction as far as 387 (where it currently cuts East and runs hopelessly far from any prospective high-speed ROW west) but thereafter the choices get dubious indeed.

[rrnut282]

blhanel

 

 

longhorn1969

I was thinking a replacement along the lines of Huey P Long bridge in New Orleans. There is enough space on either side for a gradual ascent and on of the problems (headaches) of dealing with a movable bridge. 

 

 

 

 

Where are they going to put all the fill needed for the bridge approaches without displacing numerous businesses and residences in Fort Madison, or eating up valuable park acreage, assuming they'd want to stay close to the current RR ROW?  I would guess that any such plan would go over like a lead balloon.

 

If you don't have room for fill, you use long approach spans as needed.  Of course, this adds to the cost.  

[blhanel]

longhorn1969

I was thinking a replacement along the lines of Huey P Long bridge in New Orleans. There is enough space on either side for a gradual ascent and on of the problems (headaches) of dealing with a movable bridge. 

 

Where are they going to put all the fill needed for the bridge approaches without displacing numerous businesses and residences in Fort Madison, or eating up valuable park acreage, assuming they'd want to stay close to the current RR ROW?  I would guess that any such plan would go over like a lead balloon.

[longhorn1969]

I was thinking a replacement along the lines of Huey P Long bridge in New Orleans. There is enough space on either side for a gradual ascent and on of the problems (headaches) of dealing with a movable bridge. 

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Being listed on the National Register of Historic Places is not landmark status, which is usually granted under local statute.  That being said, a double-deck vertical lift span might be a suitable replacement for the swing span.

[kgbw49]

It is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places. I am not sure how or if that complicates things.

https://iowadot.gov/historicbridges/historic-bridges/fort-madison-bridge

[charlie hebdo]

11+ years later and still going. 

[CMStPnP]

longhorn1969

Any plans to replace this historic bridge with something more modern considering how important this line is?

If they do replace it the Coast Guard mandates the replacement has to be a lift span as they no longer allow swing spans across the Mississippi River.

[longhorn1969]

Any plans to replace this historic bridge with something more modern considering how important this line is?

[blue streak 1]

Actually a combination rail highway bridge is very possible. Look at the New Orleans Huey P Long bridge. Since the Coast Guard wants to replace the swing span both a rail and Highway bridge appears to be required. Any one know  the HP Long's open span width? The post of not putting all eggs in one basket is very true. I would think that strategic thinking after the 2007 floods would give pause to combining any more traffic bridges. I believe we need more a diverse bridge overlay all which woud have 90 MPH capability and 130 MPH Passenger.

Locations? Baton Rouge; Greenville, Miss; Memphis, Tn.; somewhere around Cape Girardeau, Mo.; Saint Louis; Fort Madison; Burlington; Dubuque; Omaha: La Crosse: St. Paul: Cincinatti: Portsmouth, Wheeling, Pittsburg; etc. Now that is real infrastructure improvement!!!!! 

[spokyone]

I'm trying to envision where a new combo bridge could be placed.
From the article.

The study suggested building a new $350 million fixed-span bridge that would accommodate both rail and vehicle traffic, while being tall enough for river traffic to pass under.

[Kevin C. Smith]

What, if any, thought has gone into simply consolodating both BNSF crossings onto a new Burlington, IA, bridge? I know it would mean rebuilding the CB&Q line between Fort Madison and Burlington and then another 40 miles of capacity improvements from Burlington to Galesburg. Still, it kills two birds with one stone-or is it a case off putting all one's eggs in one basket? Or am I beating a dead horse with too many metaphors?

Since two bridges are being planned, I assume the one big bridge idea doesn't make the cut but is it a "Close, but no cigar" idea, a "Might look good on paper but doesn't pan out" idea or a "What have you been smoking?" idea.

[Deggesty]

I amy be misremembering, but it seems to me that about fifty-five years ago there was a picture of the sign listing tolls in Trains--and the tolls charged drovers were on the sign. Has the sign been changed?

Johnny

[Lyon_Wonder]

CatFoodFlambe

Does anyone else get the feeling that somehow the "big, rich, railroad company" will be force to pay to rebuild the highway portion of the bridge?

 

Maybe BNSF should ask the Obama admin for a stimulus.  That is the norm these days.

[CatFoodFlambe]

Does anyone else get the feeling that somehow the "big, rich, railroad company" will be force to pay to rebuild the highway portion of the bridge?

[Lyon_Wonder]

BNSF will likely put in a lift span, unless the government coughs up enough money to build a new combination rail/highway bridge, which would be more expensive than a highway only bridge.

[blhanel]

Victrola1

 An article from an area media outlet concerning the BNSF's Mississippi River bridge at Ft. Madison, IA. The highway portion is rapidly decaying and facing an uncertain future.

 http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/fm-bridge-011809

Activated link...

[Victrola1]

 An article from an area media outlet concerning the BNSF's Mississippi River bridge at Ft. Madison, IA. The highway portion is rapidly decaying and facing an uncertain future.

 http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/fm-bridge-011809