Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge
A view of the bridge from Riverview Park, Dubuque
Carries	4 lanes of U.S. Route 61/U.S. Route 151
Crosses	Mississippi River
Locale	Dubuque, Iowa, with Grant County, Wisconsin
Design	Tied arch bridge
Longest span	670 feet (204 m)
Total length	2,951 feet (899 m)
Clearance below	65 feet (20 m)
Opening date	August 21, 1982
Coordinates	42°30′56″N, 90°38′08″W

The Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge is a steel tied arch bridge connecting Dubuque, Iowa, with still largely rural Grant County, Wisconsin. It is an automobile bridge that traverses the Mississippi River. It is one of two automobile bridges in the Dubuque area. A railroad bridge is between them. The Julien Dubuque Bridge - the other automobile bridge - is located about three miles (5 km) south.

The bridge is a four lane, limited access bridge. It is part of the US Highway 61/151 route. This bridge replaced the older Eagle Point Bridge that previously served as the connection between Dubuque and Wisconsin.

[edit] History

In the late 1970s and the early 1980s city officials became convinced that the Eagle Point Bridge was no longer adequate for the city's needs. They determined that a four lane bridge would be needed for the increasing traffic that was anticipated.

Several names for the bridge were considered for the new bridge. Included among the names suggested was one that honored pioneer priest Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli.

Construction was delayed when a Native American burial site was found on part of the proposed Wisconsin approach. A Winnebago medicine man was brought in to bless the site so that the remains could be moved.

Upon completion in 1983, traffic was shifted over from the Eagle Point Bridge to the new bridge. The Eagle Point Bridge was demolished soon after. In the early 1990s the approach to the bridge was rebuilt to accommodate the new four lane US 61/151 highway being built in Dubuque. During the rebuilding of the Julien Dubuque Bridge, traffic from U.S. Highway 20 was detoured on to this bridge. In 2003 the deck of the bridge was rebuilt and the bridge cleaned.