Kansas and Missouri Bridge, Railway and road bridge in Leavenworth, United States
The Kansas and Missouri Bridge is a railway and road bridge that crosses the Missouri River using iron trusses designed to carry both trains and vehicles. The structure combines two transportation functions in one system, allowing simultaneous passage of different types of traffic.
Construction began in 1869 under engineer W.W. Wright and was completed in 1872, establishing it as a major engineering achievement of its time. A serious fire occurred in 1893 causing significant damage, after which the bridge continued to serve vehicular traffic.
The bridge opening celebration in 1872 gathered twenty-five thousand people who arrived by trains and boats to witness this engineering achievement.
Visitors can walk across the bridge and observe its iron trusses up close. The best views of the structure and its details are available from the riverbanks on either side.
The bridge featured a wooden deck flush with the rails that allowed locomotives and horse-drawn wagons to cross simultaneously on the same structure. This design solution was a practical answer to handling two completely different types of traffic on one passage.
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