Photo taken by MnDOT; Used with permission
Blue Earth County is one of the most sought out places to visit and live in the state of Minnesota. Part of that has to do with the hilly landscapes that line up along the Le Sueur and Minnesota Rivers, the latter of which bends at a 90° angle at Mankato, the county seat, before it shifts from southeast to northeast enroute to the Mississippi River at Fort Snelling near the Twin Cities.  The county also has a diverse history, as many groups moved through and/or settle in the county. When the settlers did establish their home in the county, they became farmers and merchants and made their mark in the fields of commerce, architecture and infrastructure. It also has a diverse history in terms of its infrastructure, which includes the railroads, like the Minnesota Valley Railroad, and bridges, like the Red Jacket Trail Trestle, the focus of a major operation that is to be carried out before winter sets in. Built in 1874 for the Minnesota Valley Railroad and serving traffic until its abandonment in 1978, this combination bridge, consisting of a two-span deck girder structure with a wooden trestle approach on the south end was converted to a bike trail in 1992 and provided tourists with a spectacular view of the Le Sueur River, while at the same time, provide bikers with access along the trail to Good Thunder from Mankato as well as to Rapidan, where the dam is located. Furthermore, the trestle is located just a mile to the south of another rare historic bridge, which is the Kern Bridge, the longest remaining bowstring arch bridge in the US and second longest in the world. But that bridge is a focus of another story.
Sadly however, the trestle sustained major damage in September, as flood waters wreaked havoc throughout much of Minnesota, and the Le Sueur River flooded its banks and eroded the southern most concrete pier holding the girder bridge in place. While it may appear that half the concrete and brick pier was removed and it might have been possible to fix it on the spot, further inspections revealed that only 1/3 of the pier was still able to withhold the entire structure, according to sources at MnDOT and the Blue Earth County highway engineer’s office. As a result, plans have been finalized to dismantle and temporarily store the deck girder bridge, while at the same time, demolish the pier and replace it with a brand new one before putting the girder back on the structure again for reuse. Because this project may take a year or so to complete pending on funding availability, bike traffic will be rerouted onto the highway bridge located right next to the trestle.
Close-up of the damage to the south pier. Photo taken by MnDOT- used with permission
While some preservationists may consider this action a demolition of a piece of history, some living in the area consider this a partial victory as a piece of history will be saved for future purposes. From a writer’s point of view, this project is considered an emergency surgery to remove something that is dangerous and replace it with something that is more stable for use. The reason that the pier is dangerous is thatif it is not fixed, it could bring down the entire bridge and may land on the highway bridge, which was the main reason why the highway was closed off when the damage was revealed. Once the pier is replaced and the girders are put back onto its original position, then the trail will be open again and cyclists and hikers will be able to enjoy going along the trail and learn about history and nature along the former Minnesota Valley Railroad. But in the meantime, some work has to be done in order to make it happen and therefore people visiting the trail will have to figure a long detour for the next couple years. But it will be worth the wait in the end.
Note: The highway bridge has a history of its own, as it was open as a concrete arch bridge in 1911. After flood waters destroyed the structure in 1960, a polygonal Warren pony truss bridge was brought in from Houston County to replace it. The 1936 structure served traffic at this location until its replacement in 1995. The bridge has been closed since 28 September
The Red Jacket Trestle and the Highway Bridge at the time of the latter's inaugural opening in 1911. MnDOT- used with permission
For more information, please check out some useful links on the Red Jacket Trestle:
Mankato Free Press  12 October, 2010
http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x935814261/Red-Jacket-Trestle-to-be-torn-down
Red Jacket Railway Bridge homepage
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