Kettle River Bridge (Bridge 5718)
See features of the bridge
History and significance
The Kettle River Bridge, constructed in 1948, carries State Highway 123 over the Kettle River in Sandstone, Pine County. It is a three-span, rigid-connected, cantilevered, Pratt deck truss. The center span has an arched lower chord and cantilevered arms. Although the approach spans were completed in 1942, wartime shortages delayed construction. This allowed engineers an opportunity to monitor the site and discover that the approaches were settling. As a result, the state engineers inserted pinned hinges in the end spans to accommodate future movement. This modification changed the proposed structure from a continuous truss to a cantilevered truss. The Kettle River Bridge is significant as a design solution to the site conditions and as a rare example of a deck truss.
Rehabilitation activities
Rehabilitation efforts included widening the bridge to meet increased traffic demand; providing structural enhancements within the bridge's existing aesthetic parameters; providing redesigned, historically sensitive railings to current safety standards; and recasting the bridge's historic lighting standards. Rehabilitation work, executed in 2008-2009, followed the guidance provided in the Historic Bridge Management Plan.
Location
City of Sandstone (Pine County)
Latitude, Longitude:
46.12895793, -92.85636354
Bridge features
Design and construction of the cantilever deck truss in a Pratt configuration.
The pinned connection of the main span’s cantilever arms and the suspended end spans, which is specially designed to allow articulation of the end spans in response to abutment settlement and movement.