Short Line Bridge

The Short Line Bridge is a steel structure spanning the Mississippi River that serves modern rail traffic between the two cities. The bridge uses a truss design and today handles grain and freight transport along the Hiawatha Avenue corridor.

The structure was built in 1902 as a replacement for an older bridge from 1880 and was part of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway expansion. With this new connection, rail lines finally had a direct route without lengthy detours through Fort Snelling.

The bridge links Minneapolis and St. Paul with a direct railway route that freed trains from a lengthy detour. Today it shapes the riverbank landscape and shows how important rail transport was to the region's growth.

The bridge is best viewed from riverbank walkways or rail observation points, as direct access is limited. Visitors should note that active train traffic uses the bridge several times per week, so it is safest to watch from a distance.

The construction used an innovative pulley system that let workers replace parts without stopping train operations. This technique was pioneering for its time and showed early practices for maintenance without service interruptions.