LEGACY 1938 Amelia Earhart Bridge -- Atchison KS
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member Benchmark Blasterz
N 39° 33.579 W 095° 07.053
15S E 318082 N 4381026
The 1938 Amelia Earhart US 59 Bridge in Atchison KS still spans the Missouri River but is closed and presumably doomed. UPDATE 2017: This bridge is gone.
Waymark Code: WMGR3Z
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 04/03/2013
Views: 4

The 1938 Amelia Earhart bridge still stood when I published this waymark, but all vehicular traffic on US59 had been rerouted over to the new Amelia Earhart Memorial Bridge(the blue arch bridge) nearby. The old bridge was replaced for 2 reasons (1) because it is structurally unsound and (2) is too narrow to accomodate the size of modern 18-wheelers and farm equipment. Source: KDOT (visit link)

Since KDOT has deemed the Amelia Earhart bridge structurally unsafe, we wonder how long it will be before it is removed. Perhaps the city of Atchison will save it as a pedestrian or bike bridge?

From the Bridgehunter website: (visit link)

Overview: Through truss bridge over the Missouri River on US 59 at Atchison

Location: Atchison County, Kansas, and Buchanan County, Missouri

Status: Intact but closed to all traffic

Future prospects: Replaced by a new tied arch bridge on 4 December 2012.

History: Built 1937-38; rehabilitated 1975

Builders- Sverdrup and Parcel- Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Co. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Design: Cantilevered Warren through truss

Dimensions:
Length of largest span: 474.0 ft.
Total length: 2,677.4 ft. (0.5 mi.)
Deck width: 23.9 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 15.1 ft.

Inspection (as of 05/2011):
Deck condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Superstructure condition rating: Poor (4 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Appraisal: Structurally deficient"

When we returned to Atchison KS in 2017, the 1938 Earhart highway truss bridge had been removed.
Parking Coordinates:: N 39° 33.634 W 095° 06.872

Date Built: 01/01/1937

Length of Span:
2,677.4 fett


www:
http://bridgehunter.com/ks/atchison/amelia-earhart/ http://www.earthcam.com/clients/kansasDOT/


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