Marquette–Joliet Bridge

Marquette–Joliet Bridge

The bridge seen from the north on the Iowa side
Other name(s) Marquette Bridge, Prairie Bridge
Carries 2 lanes of US 18
Crosses Mississippi River
Locale Marquette, Iowa and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
ID number 000000000020515[1]
Design Tied arch bridge
Total length 780.8 meters (2,561.7 ft)[1]
Width 12.2 meters (40.0 ft)[1]
Longest span 462 feet (141 m)
Vertical clearance 8.71 meters (28.58 ft)[1]
Clearance below 18.3 meters (60.0 ft)[1]
Opened June 1975

The Marquette–Joliet Bridge is a bridge crossing the Mississippi River, connecting Marquette, Iowa and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Local residents refer to the bridge as the Prairie Bridge or the Marquette Bridge; both terms are used equally.

The structure is an automobile bridge about three lanes wide, and is designed to accept Jersey barriers for deck service. It is located between the Black Hawk Bridge, about 40 miles (64 km) to the north upstream, and the Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge some 60 miles (97 km) south. The bridge carries U.S. Route 18 from Iowa to Wisconsin.

The design of the bridge is a cable-supported tied arch bridge, with the two ends of the arch terminating at abutments located in the middle of the river.

In the winter after its opening, the bridge developed several cracks and had to be closed for repair. In more recent years, the approach on the Iowa side of the bridge was rebuilt as part of the U.S. 18 bypass that was built around Marquette and McGregor, Iowa.

See also

References