BISMARCK, N.D. — BNSF Railway has passed the halfway point in construction of its new bridge across the Missouri River in the Bismarck-Mandan, N.D., area on its former Northern Pacific Jamestown Subdivision.
The 1,554-foot-long single-track bridge is being built adjacent to the 140-year-old NP bridge that it will replace. The bridge will have generous clearances and features four main structural steel spans with precast concrete girder approaches. The bridge’s piers will be able to accommodate a second track if necessary.
Construction began in 2023 and is expected to be completed next year.
Work on the new BNSF bridge this summer has involved constructing cofferdams for Piers 5 and 6. Additional work includes erecting the spans for the bridge’s superstructure. By year’s end, nine of the 12 new spans should be complete.
The old bridge will be removed after the new bridge is placed into service.
