Carries Four lanes of MN 65 Locale Minneapolis, Minnesota Total length 678 m Opened 1918 Location Minneapolis | Crosses Mississippi River ID number 2440 Construction started 1914 Body of water Mississippi River | |
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Maintained by Minnesota Department of Transportation Design Open-spandrel concrete arch bridge Bridge type Arch bridge, Deck arch bridge Similar 10th Avenue Bridge, Saint Anthony Falls, Cappelen Memorial Bridge, Stone Arch Bridge, I‑35W Saint Anthony Falls Brid | ||
The Third Avenue Bridge is a landmark structure of the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, originally known as the St. Anthony Falls Bridge. It carries road traffic across the Mississippi River and right over the upper fringes of Saint Anthony Falls. The multi-arched bridge meets with Third Avenue in downtown Minneapolis at its south end, but curves as it crosses the river, and connects with Central Avenue on its north end. The shallow "S" curve in the bridge was built to avoid fractures in the limestone bedrock that supports the bridge piers. The road is also designated Minnesota State Highway 65. Construction began in 1914, and it opened four years later in 1918. The bridge, which uses arches of an open spandrel design, has been modified since that time, and underwent a major overhaul in 1979-1980. The 2,223-foot (667.6 m) crossing was designed by city engineer Frederick W. Cappelen, who also created plans for other similar bridges in Minneapolis such as the Franklin Avenue Bridge. It cost US$862,254.00 at the time.