The Big Arch

The west arch on the Robert Street Bridge.

Across The Mississippi

Long Lines

Under the Wabasha Street Bridge in St Paul.

The Right Side

Yes, this is the right side of the Freedom Bridge, also called the Wabasha Street Bridge.

Dual Bridges

Jumping back south into Hastings for today's photo. It features two of the bridges that cross the Mississippi River, The Milwaukee Road [rail road] bridge, and the Hastings Bridge. The Hastings Bridge is slated to be replaced starting the the fall of 2010. The project will take 3-4 years to complete. I have posted about construction of this bridge in May of 2008. There was some major bridge maintenance work being done to it that essentially prolonged the life of the bridge until State funding was available. Before last years maintenance work, it had one of the lowest bridge ratings scores in the state.

Missing Smoke Stack

I've posted a very similar shot from this location over a year ago. The difference being the smoke stack in the background. The reason for this post is, the smoke stack is no longer standing and this is one of my few night shots with the tower. Last summer, Xcel Energy Power Plant converted their coal operation into a different form of energy production. See a photo of the falling smoke stack here.

Union Pacific Vertical Lift Rail Bridge

Crossing the Mississippi River around the downtown area, the Union Pacific Rail Bridge is the one of three vertical lift bridges on the river. The other two vertical lift bridges are in Hastings, Minnesota and Hannibal, Missouri [which I paid a visit to during the summer of 2008, I'll check my archives for a photo]. The bridge in St Paul is 940 feet long and opened in 1913.

Icy Mississippi River

I've posted a couple other views of the Hastings Bridge from this vantage point in the past: October 26, 2006 and December 7, 2006 Both photos had been taken in the fall season. I made a return visit this week to the Hasting Bridge and the frozen Mississippi River. It was really a quiet place to be in the dead sound that winter can cause. The top layer of water was frozen, not a sound of water flowing. It may look like sturdy layer of ice, but with the moving waters underneath, you would be a fool to venture out onto the ice.

Small Tunnel In Downtown

As you travel west on Kellogg Avenue, just as you approach River Center, you can veer left to a small tunnel that will take you to the bottom of the parking garage or the lower Mississippi River.

Into Downtown St Paul

The view as you make your way into downtown St Paul via the Wabasha Street Bridge.

Bridge Art Is How I See It

This odd looking contraption can be found on the Wabasha Street Bridge as you enter downtown St Paul from the West Side neighborhood. To me, these are some strange looking contraptions that have been added into the bridge design. It blends well with the rest of the bridge, but strange non the less.

Wakota Bridge Progress

After too long of a delay over funding, the Wakota Bridge replacement project is back in full action. While originally scheduled to complete in 2007, the south bridge is scheduled for completion in the year 2010. Yeah, that's a very long delay don't you think for road construction? The big square is where the foundation will be formed. If you look closely, you can see the other side where the bridge will connect.

Under The Hood

Arrgh, I've misplaced my camera. Where did I leave it? For the photo....Standing under the Wabasha Street Bridge in St Paul.

Hastings Bridge Construction

Starting Monday, drivers crossing the Hastings River Bridge will find the two lane bridge a temporary one lane bridge during some bridge maintenance. Expect traffic delays and alternate routes are encouraged. The bridge deck resurfacing and bridge painting project will last until mid July. There are plans for a much needed replacement bridge project to begin in 2010.

Lafayette Bridge

Opened in 1968, carries four lanes of traffic, it is 3375 feet long and spans the Mississippi River in St Paul. The bridge is part of US Route 52, however I grew up calling it Highway 3. At some point during the past 20 years, they connected one part of the freeway to another unfinished portion, renamed the Highway 3 to US 52. There are still signs that read 'Old Highway 3' at a couple of spots along the way.

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Liftbridge Control Center

This control center lift bridge crosses the Mississippi River. Downtown St Paul is to my right. I couldn't imagine sitting in that small building all day for a job, waiting for boats to pass so I could push a button to lift the bridge and allow large boats to pass through. I certainly could not, but would this be something you could do for a living?

There Are Good Things About Winter

Despite my latest trend in posting for the past couple of days, wishing for the Spring season to start, winter does have it's good points.

No Yard Work - Working in the yard is not an option. I cannot mow the lawn, water flowers, pull weeds, working on landscaping projects, trim the trees, rake leaves, and many more. It just can't be done. The frozen ground plus a lack of seeing the ground while it is covered in a layer of snow prevents this fabulous chore.

Fireplace - Only in the cold winter months do I light up my fireplace. We have a wood burning fireplace that keeps the family room oh so warm and toasty on the frigid and blustery winter nights. While the summer heat is enjoyable to me, staying warm via the fireplace is a delight in itself.

Family Time - In this fast paced world we live in, the cold weather forces us to stay indoors more this time of the year and enjoy each others company. Playing board games, watching a movie, getting to know each other.

Snow Days - Who doesn't enjoy calling in to work because the snow and/or ice is making it impossible to get yourself to work. I enjoyed them as a child, I still enjoy them as an adult.

Winter Beauty - While taking photos in the winter can be quite a challenge, you can also get some outstanding captures that can only be taking this time of the year. Not dressing warm enough is the major factor. The winter elements can give you one of those outstanding photos to an area that you're familiar with, yet it looks entirely different in a winter scene.

Give Me A "T"

When I took this shot, I thought it was a unique view of one of the arches on the Robert Street Bridge in St Paul. Now all I can see is a great big letter "T". The view still is unique and it's a decent minimalist photo.

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Interesting Links Of The Day: How the US Tax system works

Not The Golden Arches

I've posted several different angles of the Robert Street Bridge in St Paul, typically from areas that were a short distance from the bridge, today I'm on the bridge. This photo is from the west arch that spans across the Mississippi River bridge.

  

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Theme Day: Bridges

For the December theme day, I had to use the bridge that is closet to where I grew up as a child. This is the Smith Avenue bridge, or National Bridge Number ID #62090, but us locals officially call it and it's known as "The High Bridge". Why that name? At a height of 160 feet, it is the tallest bridge in Minnesota. It has an incredible slope to it, I've been trying to find the height at each end, but I cannot find that information. It is however quite a challenge to ride a bicycle up it at a length of 2,760 feet. I took this photo about two hours ago, the temperature here is about 14 degrees, with the winds blowing at 10 miles per hour. That made for a VERY chilly time while trying to snap a photo. Take note of the Mississippi River, there is a layer of ice on the water on some of it.

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Raspberry Picking

If you cross this inviting bridge, you would be on Raspberry Island. In the background is downtown St Paul and the island sits on the Mississippi River. The bridge you see on the right that cross Raspberry Island and the river is called the Freedom Bridge, though I've always known it as the Wabasha Avenue Bridge. It was renamed when they rebuilt the bridge. Raspberry Island has not always been call what it is today. I've always known it as Navy Island. I grew up in this area and I'm always taken back at how much changes when you've been away from the area for so long.

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Mississippi Stillness

Crossing the Wakota Bridge from Inver Grove Heights to Newport on a calm and dreary afternoon.

Minnesota Bridge Number 19816

I've sat at this light many times before on my way home from work. I sit in the turn lane on a bridge that crosses 35E in Eagan. Until a couple weeks ago, when the sun was setting, the light must have been just right. I saw the plaque you see in the photo embedded into the side wall. Bridge number 19816 was built in 1983 and is 310 feet long. It has a sufficient rating of 96.5 as of September 12, 2007. I do like the added touch of the rebar poking through the street surface. Okay, I really don't like it. It is there for a reason right?

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Bridge Under A Bridge

The lift bridge in St Paul that crosses over the Mississippi River is for trains only. It's still in use today, but the trains typically travel rather slow in this area. The train tracks curve under the Robert Street Bridge and along the river. If you follow this set of tracks, you'll run into the switching yard that I've recently posted a couple of photos of. [scroll down a couple days]

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35W Bridge In Minneapolis Collapses

DONATE: Twin Cities Red Cross

I know many of you have been seeing this tragedy on the news tonight. My heart goes out to those caught in the bridge collapse and their families. My fellow local bloggers are all safe, their families. I have a few photos of the aftermath from a few local photographers that were close to the bridge and have given me permission to post their photos. Thank you again.

This Interstate 35W bridge crosses the Mississippi River to the north of downtown Minneapolis. This is a major road for travel into and out of downtown and will greatly effect the city and surroundings for many years to come. My heart goes out to the commuters and their families.

Very detailed photos by Noah Kunin who lives closest to the bridge.
Photo set from ebrant78, lots of incredible shots

Photographer: steve.schmeiser

Photographer: neon.mamacita

Anno Domini 1925

I was taking a photo of the Robert Street Bridge, specifically the medallion detail on one of the twelve piers, when out of the sky appeared a private airplane flying right into my camera lens. It had taken off from the St Paul downtown airport, also known as Holman Field. I'm confused why the date AD 1925 is on the medallion. Bridge construction started in 1924 but wasn't completed until 1926. So why the 1925 date? The Robert Street Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Sometime within the past 15 years, the bridge underwent a major restoration process. They thankfully kept the exact design of the bridge intact and just gave it a face lift.

View To The East

A view of the Hastings River Bridge with the Milwaukee Rail Road Bridge in the distance looking east. The bridge crosses the Mississippi River, into and out of downtown Hastings.

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Feared For My Life

Do you see them bikers in the photo that are in the photo on the walking path of the bridge? They almost ran me over!! There I was walking peacefully on the Freedom Bridge heading into downtown St Paul, when I hear this "On your right" yell from the leader of the bike gang. I had to step, I mean "jump" out of the way to save myself from a serious injury of a fast moving 10 speed. I swear as they passed, I heard one of them say to me, "hi" and nodded his head up and down. I was trembling in fear.

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The Land Down Under

This perspective is from the underside of the Wabasha Street Bridge in St Paul, heading into downtown. This bridge was rebuilt about 10 years ago, give or take a couple years, and was then renamed the Freedom Bridge. I'm not sure why the bridge was renamed nor the purpose for the name. The bridge is very patriotic as it is lined with many United States flags on the top side of the bridge. Makes for a fitting name.

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