Bridge that Herman Luebke Worked OnRehabilitation of
Historic Holmes
Street Bridge
Robert E. Mateega, P.E.
Historic Holmes Street Bridge.
ridges across the country are deteriorating or cc ' fun
ti onally obsolete. 'Therefore, De is of , ns ` tation
DOTS) across the cou have ntify d s his-
toric bridges, thereby' amlinr a repla ent of
non - historic bridges. inneso epart n Transpor do
MnDOT) identified olmes S t Bridg (Bridge
commonly referred to as t e ako Truss Bri as neof 24
bridges in Minnesota to pre a once funding ame available.
For the Holmes Street I g , unding became available with passage
of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.
The project team of HDR as the Bridge Engineer and Mead & Hunt
as the Project Historian faced many challenges. The first was the need
to complete not only the inspection, analysis and rehabilitation report
in six months, but also receive approval on final rehabilitation plans
and specifications from MnDOT, the State Historic Preservation
Office (SHPO) and the Federal Highway Administration (F14WA).
A similar project would normally take 12 to 18 months.
The next challenge was to identifyengineering solutions thatwould
meet safety and maintenance requirements, while preserving the
historic features of the bridge. The inspection and analysis revealed
the bridge to be in generally poor condition, with severe to critical
deterioration in various steel and concrete members. Innovative
design solutions that preserved the historical significance of the bridge
included replacement of the existing ornamental railing in -kind with
a safety modification, installation of replica lighting, replacement of
some truss members and steel overhang brackets with shop fabricated
members using rivets, and rehabilitation of concrete components
using unique renovation techniques.
Bridge Description
The Holmes Street Bridge, built as a highway bridge in 1927, provided
access across the Minnesota River for the city of Shakopee and points
west to the Twin Cities Metro Area. Listed in the National Register of
Historic Places (National Register) as a rare example of a deck -truss
bridge in Minnesota, the Holmes Street Bridge is a 645 -foot long
bridge th an o 0 - width of 42.4 feet. The superstructure
nsists OQ"" -foot long cast -in -place reinforced concrete deck
gird e s i th spans, four 125 -foot long riveted steel deck
t , spans, and two 30-foot long cast -in -place reinforced
oncrete deck girder north approach spans. The truss spans consist
of three parallel riveted steel Warren trusses with verticals. The bridge
deck consists of a 30 -foot wide roadway and two 6 -foot wide raised
cantilever sidewalks.
The substructure consists of a U- shaped reinforced concrete South
Abutment, two reinforced concrete south approach piers with four
arched openings, three reinforced concrete river piers with two recessed
arches on each side, two reinforced concrete north approach piers
with four arched openings, and a U- shaped reinforced concrete North
Abutment that features a stairway on the east side.
In order for a property to be historic, it has to have character -
defining features which are prominent or distinctive aspects,
qualities, or characteristics that contribute significantly to its
physical character. Features may include materials, engineering
design, and structural and decorative details. The Shakopee Truss
Bridge has two character - defining features which were defined
as follows in the MnDOT Historic Bridge Management Plan for
Bridge No. 4175 (June 2006):
Feature 1, Deck -truss design and construction. The Shakopee
Truss Bridge is a rare example of a deck truss bridge in
Minnesota. This feature includes the four main spans, each
of which has three riveted, steel trusses designed in a Warren -
with- verticals configuration.
Feature 2, Classical Revival architectural details. Because of
its urban location as a gateway to downtown Shakopee, the
Shakopee Truss Bridge was designed with Classical Revival
stylistic elements. This feature includes recessed panels in the
concrete river piers (Piers 3 -5), open-arched concrete piers in
the approach spans (Piers 1 -2 and 6 -7), recessed panels on the
abutments, ornamental metal railings on the approach spans
and main spans, concrete parapet railings on the abutments,
and stairways adjacent to the north abutment.
STRUCTURE magazine 0 February 2013
In -Depth Inspection and Analysis
STRUCTURE magazine 0 February 2013
The project team performed an in -depth inspection of the bridge
from within arm's length ofeach member. Access to inspect the bridge
truss members was provided from an Under Bridge Inspection Vehicle
UBM with a 60 -foot reach.
The in -depth inspection revealed delaminating and spalling concrete
members; severely corroded ornamental railing members; severely
corroded sections of stringers, floor beams and overhang brackets;
severely corroded truss members; gussetplate section loss; pack rust;
and frozen bearings. Most of the deterioration of the steel members
was located in areas that were exposed to moisture, namely the exterior
trusses on either side of the bridge and areas adjacent to the open
joint at the end of each truss span.
LARSA and SI'AAD 2D truss models were created to determine the
forces in the various truss members. Prior to the project, it was deter-
mined that, following rehabilitation, the bridge would be reopened
as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge with vehicles using a new bridge
constructed downstream. Therefore, the bridge deck was analyzed
using the controlling load case between an 85 psf pedestrian live load
or an American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials (AASHTO) standard H -10 Design Truckwhich consstiss4
4 kip front axles and 16 kip rear axles separated by 14 feet.'Ilie rais
sidewalk was analyzed using only the 85 psf pedestrian live loa A
special load case consisting of the UBIV was also co sid d, as s
would be the vehicle used to inspect the bridge. The a lysi ollow
the AASHTO ManualforBridge Evaluati the. O LRFD
Bridge Design Manual.
The analysis models co led wi spread develo y the
project team to anal gusset pla s, and o tion from dZ
Structural
Deteriorated truss members
1 §which
rtions of the bridge naeded
s in-lu gusset plates, floor beams,
tru ss members; the raised concrete
lec ;expansion joints; bearing pins; the
and concrete surfaces.
ecommendations
Innovative Solutions
was historic, the project team had to ensure that the
plans on this eight -span concrete girder and steel deck
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Easy to Learn and Use
Analyze "Just about Anything!"
Design: Steel, Wood, Concrete,
Aluminum, and Cold- Formed
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truss structure complied with Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, and followed guidelines in the National Park Service
Preservation Brief 15, Preservation ofHistoric Concrete. Additionally,
the project could have no adverse effects on the historic resource as
determined by MnDOT, SHPO and FHWA.
To streamline the process of determining the appropriate treatment
methods for the extensive concrete repairs, the project team developed
a repair matrix that distinguished treatments based on location and
public visibility. For example, the team determined that concrete areas
not visible, such as river pier areas, could be repaired with standard
MnDOT construction techniques. Areas clearly visible to the public,
including abutments and parapets, required historic repair techniques
to ensure conformance with historic surfaces, and were included in
the detailed project specific specifications. The specifications included
requirements that the repaired concrete match the adjacent existing
concrete in terms of finish, texture, surface detail and color. The
contractor was required to provide a minimum of 3 samples, at least
12 inches by 12 inches in size, to demonstrate that they could match
the adjacent existing concrete. The matrix clarified and expedited the
appropriate treatments for both plan development and communica-
tion with the contractor.
An additional repair matrix was developed to address the repair and/
or replacement of deteriorated steel truss members.
Rivets are a key feature of historic truss members, but few ontrac rs
today are able to install rivets in the field. When 3 ` s side
overhang brackets and six bottom chord
1-ricate
ts i ig visib
areas were severely deteriorated and requir cee th , roject
team specified that the new memo s be s ' 'vets.
Historic railing typical, esents ign , due to noncom
pliance with current standards. a orig 1 etal orn
railing was no exception: rly di a railing open" frrect
current MnDOT or AASHI standards, but tpie sections
exhibited critical deteriorati'"lre project team l at six differ-
ent options ranging from reuse to replication to redesign, but based
on issues of deterioration, cost and safety, the team chose to replicate
the original railings with minor modifications, while refurbishing
original castiron newel posts. AASHTO standards require that open-
ings between members of pedestrian railing shall not allow a 6 -inch
sphere to pass through the lower 27 inches of the railing and an 8 -inch
sphere should not pass through openings above 27 inches. MnDOT
standards, which are more stringent than AASHTO, require that open-
ings between members shall not allow a 4 -inch sphere to pass through
the lower 27 inches, and a 6 -inch sphere should not pass through
any opening above 27 inches. The original railing allowed a 6 -inch
sphere to pass through openings both below and above 27 inches.
Therefore, MnDOT issued a design exception for the project,
whereby the MnDOT requirements for the openings in a pedes-
trian railing were waived in favor of the AASHTO requirements. The
replica railing was able to meet AASHTO opening requirements by
the addition of a 3l6 -inch steel stainless steel cable, which prevented a
6 -inch sphere from passing through the lower 27 inches of the railing.
It was determined that the addition of the stainless steel cable was
less intrusive on the character - defining feature, than changing the
dimensions of the railing to meet today's design standards. To reduce
cost, the team recommended button -head bolts with acorn -style nuts
replicate the 1,200 -plus rivet connections of the original railing.
Another innovation related to historic truss members was asolution
to prevent future deterioration, most of which was due to drain-
age runoff from the deck drains and open joints at each truss end.
Hydraulic analysis showed that the deck drains could be eliminated,
and the open joints could be replaced with strip seal expansion joints.
This was a simple and ingenious solu6n to damaging deck drainage
runoff and the subsequent corros of steel truss members.
Con LAssons Learned
Cons, rctio f t rehab project was performed by Edward
r and ns the pr e contractor. For concrete repairs, the
contr
sed tc to with subsequent surface treatment, employing
colorand m obrasive blasting for surface texture and graffiti
remohighly vis" istoric areas. This was the first time the
ntque vwas u OT for this purpose or permitted by the
O for,$ispl concrete repair. The contractor also successfully
putts -l"i"ons
wsrtpanels for on- siteproduct demonstrations for MnDOT
O, and now these methods are approved and provide practi-
to historic concrete repair challenges for future projects.
One of the lessons learned on the project was to pay close attention
to member removal and the location of rivets with heads on only one
side. Removal of bottom chord members was very challenging since
the gusset plates at the bearing points were remaining in- place; some
of the rivets in the gusset plate at the bearing point only had a head
on one side and therefore could not be replaced. The contractor was
able to remove the bottom chord member by removing rivets with
heads on both sides, and prying the member out.
The project benefited from having repairs priced per type, e.g.
stringer repair or truss member repair. Given the old age ofthe bridge,
additional areas requiring repair were identified when portions of the
bridge were removed. Since repairs had been priced by type, which
included means and methods, the compensation ofadditional repair
items was straight forward, without having to determine the additional
cost of installing and carrying out the repair.
Conclusion
Rehabilitation of the historic Holmes Street Bridge preserved an
elegant 84 -year old structure for future generations of pedestrians and
bicyclists. Innovative, collaborative engineering design preserved or
restored historic materials and features, including ornamental railing,
riveted bridge components and concrete detailing. The
Holmes Street Bridge rehabilitation, stands as a creative Smodelforsimilarprojectsincommunitiesthroughout
Minnesota and the United States.-
STRUCTURE magazine 0 February 2013
MINNESOTA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD
PART I. PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION AND GENERAL INFORMATION
Common Name: Holmes Street Bridge
Bridge Number:
Identification Number:
Location:
Feature Carried:
Feature Crossed:
Descriptive Location:
Town, Range, Section:
Town or City:
County:
UTM:
Zone: 15
Easting: 458215 .
Northing: 4960869
Quad:
Shakopee
7.5 Minute Series
1927
Present Owner:
State
Present Use:
Mainline
Significance Statement:
4175
SC -SPC -068
Pedestrian Trail
CR 101 & Minnesota River
0.1 Miles North of Jct. County 101
115N -23W -1
Shakopee
Scott
Bridge No. 4175 is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C:
Engineering, as a rare example of a deck truss bridge in Minnesota. The four main spans are
designed in a Warren truss configuration with verticals. The period of significance for Bridge No.
4175 is its 1927 date of construction. The bridge was built by the Minnesota Department of
Highways (MDH) to carry T.H. 5 over the Minnesota River and into Shakopee in Scott County.
The property meets the eligibility requirements established in Frederic Quivik and Dale Martin,
Iron and Steel Bridges in Minnesota," (July 1988), in Jeffrey Hess, Final Report of the Minnesota
Historic Bridge Survey: Part 2 (August 1988). Bridge No. 4175 is a rare example of a deck truss
bridge and was built by an important bridge fabricator, the Minneapolis Steel and Machinery
Company.
Historic Context
Urban growth in Minnesota began in the 1840s with the establishment of settlements along the
MHPR Identification Number: SC -SPC -068 Page 1 of 7
Mississippi and lower St. Croix Rivers. Until the extensive building of railroads in the late 1860s,
settlement followed rivers —the Mississippi, Minnesota, and St. Croix —and the shore of Lake
Superior. Even after construction of the railways enabled large numbers of settlers to create
inland communities, this early pattern persisted. Of the ten largest cities in Minnesota at the turn
of the century, six were located along the Mississippi, and one each on the Minnesota River, the
St. Croix, and Lake Superior.
Most bridges in cities and towns crossed natural barriers, primarily watercourses and ravines.
Few, except in the Twin Cities, crossed man -made features, such as railroad tracks. Most
communities along rivers were situated on only one shore. In these cases, bridges served to link
them to the rural districts and smaller settlements on the other side. This removed natural
obstacles for the rural residents and increased the area over which the merchants and bankers in
the larger towns could extend their business.
The City of Shakopee
Shakopee is located on the site of a Dakota village and was settled by traders and missionaries
as early as 1844. Towns began to develop in the Minnesota River Valley following the 1851
Treaty of Mendota, which opened up the area for Euro- American settlement. Early settlers hailed
primarily from New England and the mid - Atlantic States, but the later influx of German, Irish,
Bohemian, and Scandinavian immigrants was critical to the settlement of the county.
In 1854 the town of Shakopee was platted and named as the seat of Scott County, and on May
23, 1857, it was incorporated as a city. The original plat was aligned with the Minnesota River, so
lots in the earliest part of town have a northwest- southeast orientation. Later additions were
aligned on a north -south orientation.
Within the next 20 years, Shakopee grew, as evidenced by the increasing number and diversity of
types of buildings. The first public school and post office were constructed in 1854; the first
railroad shops of the Minnesota Valley Company in 1867; and, in 1874, the Occidental Hotel was
opened for business. By 1900 the population of Scott County had reached 15,000.
The Holmes Street Bridge: Bridge No. 4175
Bridge No. 4175 replaced an 1880 bridge nearby. The 1880 Lewis Street Bridge was a 409 -foot-
long metal, swing -span bridge, which allowed for Minnesota River navigation. According to Julius
Coller, the community's proposal to build a bridge arose from desires to increase the Shakopee
trading area. Faced with competition for the county seat from the village of Jordan, Shakopee
established a Board of Trade in 1878. The board revived an 1876 proposal to build a bridge
across the Minnesota River. The Lewis Street Bridge first opened in 1880.
In 1926 a new highway bridge was authorized at Shakopee, to be located at the foot of Holmes
Street, 300 feet west of Lewis Street. A petition letter dated April 12, 1926, indicates that local
manufacturing companies did not consider a moveable bridge, like that at Lewis Street, to be
necessary for the Shakopee channel of the Minnesota River. Citing ample railroad service,
improved trunk highways, and the poor quality of the river for navigation and freight transport, the
manufacturers petitioned for a fixed -span bridge to be built as part of a transportation link
between southwestern Minnesota and the Twin Cities.
Bridge No. 4175 was built in 1927 by the Minnesota Highway Department (MHD) as a fixed span.
Its elevation on the upper river bluff allowed for a deck -truss configuration instead of a through -
truss or moveable span. The use of shallow concrete girders in the shorter approach spans
provided additional vertical clearance for the railroad line passing underneath, thus creating a
MHPR Identification Number: SC -SPC -068 Page 2 of 7
grade separation. The bridge connected with Holmes Street on the south. The bridge was
designed by MHD Bridge Engineer M.J. Hoffmann and built by the Widell Company of Mankato at
a cost of approximately $146,000. The steel work was fabricated by the Minneapolis Steel and
Machinery Company.
Bridge No. 4175 continued to carry T.H. 169/101 (former T.H. 5) into Shakopee until 1990 when a
new four -lane bridge was constructed at the foot of Lewis Street to carry T.H. 169/101 over the
Minnesota River. According to the Susan Granger and Scott Kelly's Report on Bridge 4175,
Bridge No. 4175 is to be rehabilitated for use as a pedestrian and bicycle trail bridge. The new
bridge was built without pedestrian sidewalks or bike paths.
For extensive background information on the general design, engineering, and construction of
metal trusses in Minnesota, see Frederic Quivik and Dale Martin, "Iron and Steel Bridges in
Minnesota," (July 1988), which is included in Jeffrey Hess, Final Report of the Minnesota Historic
Bridge Survey: Part 2 (August 1988). This report also includes the following note on the
Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Company:
The Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Company was founded in Minneapolis in 1902 by J.L.
Record and Otis Briggs. By 1903, the company had a plant along Hiawatha Avenue between .
East 28th and Lake Streets, which covered about two and one -half blocks. A 1908 source states
the company had 1,200 employees. Among the products it advertised in 1909 were steel
structural buildings, storefronts, stairs, water tanks and towers, bridges, and steel grain elevators.
The Minneapolis Steel and Machinery served a large regional market, preparing steel for bridges
ranging in size from a 63 -foot, riveted Warren pony truss to a 622 -foot steel deck arch. The
Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Company apparently also played an important role in
establishing high standards for steel bridges built in Minnesota just prior to the establishment of
the Minnesota State Highway Commission, which created its own standards. "
Conclusion
Bridge No. 4175, which features four main spans of riveted steel deck truss construction in a
Warren configuration with verticals, is eligible under Criterion C: Engineering. The structure
retains a high degree of integrity of location, design, setting, and material. Bridge No. 4175 meets
Registration Requirement 9 established in Quivik and Martin, "Iron and Steel Bridges in
Minnesota." Registration Requirement 9 states, "A Deck Truss Bridge. Such bridges are very
rare and represent a design solution to an unusual site condition." Bridge No. 4175 also meets
Registration Requirement 4 which states, "Built by an Important Bridge Fabricator," and identifies
the Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Company as one of "three Minnesota firms [that] achieved
statewide importance."
MHPR Identification Number: SC -SPC -068 Page 3 of 7
PART II. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Date of Construction:
1927
Contractor and/or Designer (if known):
Contractor: Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Company, fabricator
Widell Company, Mankato, builder
Designer: M. J. Hoffmann
Historic Context:
Iron and Steel Bridges in Minnesota
National Register Criterion:
C
MHPR Identification Number: SC -SPC -068 Page 4 of 7
PART III. DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION
Descriptive Information:
Property and Setting
Bridge No. 4175 is located at the foot of Holmes Street, on the northern edge of the city of
Shakopee, Minnesota. It originally carried Trunk Highway (T.H.) 5 (now T.H. 169/101) into
Shakopee and was locally known as the "Holmes Street Bridge." Minnesota Department of
Transportation (Mn /DOT) documents list Bridge No. 4175 as officially closed to vehicular traffic as
of 2005.
The city of Shakopee is located on the south side of the Minnesota River. The south approaches
to Bridge No. 4175 were originally built across a Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway spur
track, now the location of Levee Drive. Adjacent to Levee Drive is a bituminous bicycle and
pedestrian trail that passes beneath the south approach. The Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources (Mn /DNR) has an easement with the city on portions of this trail and also owns and
maintains Riverside Park, which is located immediately west of the north end of the bridge. On
the north, the bridge connects with a pedestrian /bicycle trail. The north approach originally
spanned Indian Road, an unpaved roadway that has been abandoned.
Description
Bridge No. 4175 was completed in 1927 and is aligned on a north -south axis. It has an overall
length of 645 feet and an out -to -out width of 42.4 feet. The superstructure consists of four main
river spans and four approach spans, two on the north and two on the south. The main spans
provide 22 feet of vertical clearance at high water. Each main span is comprised of three riveted,
steel deck Warren trusses, with a 125 -foot clear span, pier to pier. As originally built, the main
spans accommodated a 28 -foot roadway and two 5 -foot sidewalks cantilevered on brackets from
the outside trusses. The approach spans are 30- foot -long, cast -in- place, reinforced - concrete,
deck girder spans.
The substructure is comprised of reinforced - concrete piers and abutments that display Classical
Revival architectural elements. The river piers are solid with a pair of arched recesses on either
side, suggesting a column supporting each of the three trusses. The approach piers have four
arched openings with a column supporting each girder. The U- shaped abutments have pilasters
with recessed panels.
Atop the abutments are poured concrete parapet - railings with Classical Revival recessed panels.
The railings on the main and approach spans consist of panels of curved and open - lattice
metalwork with square metal posts in a Classical Revival design. The railings are 2 feet, 8 inches
high.
Poured concrete Jersey barriers were installed in 1972 between the pedestrian sidewalks and the
roadway. Seven fluted cast -iron light standards with elongated glass lamps and finials were
originally mounted along each railing. These were removed in 1969.
A concrete pedestrian stairway with metal pipe railing is located on each side of the north
abutment, leading down to the former Indian Road. The Classical Revival detailing of the
underside of the abutment suggests the attention given to the pedestrian access to Riverside
Park at the northwest end of the bridge.
MHPR Identification Number: SC -SPC -068 Page 5 of 7
Integrity
Bridge No. 4175 retains integrity of design, location, setting, and materials. The Warren deck
trusses retain full integrity of design and materials. Alterations in 1969 and 1972 included
removal of light standards; replacement of curbing, sidewalk, and deck; cleaning and repainting
of metal railings; installation of new floor beams and stringers; and installation of new expansion
joints and jersey barriers. Some original floor beams and stringers remain. The 1969 and 1972
alterations did not compromise the historical integrity of the superstructure and substructure.
MHPR Identification Number: SC -SPC -068 Page 6 of 7
PART IV. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
References:
Report on Bridge 4175, Shakopee, Minnesota S.P. 7009 -52 (T.H. 169), prepared for Minnesota
Department of Transportation by Gemini Research (Susan Granger and Scott Kelly), 1994;
Bridge No. 4175: Summary of Inspection and Recommendations for Reuse as a Pedestrian
Bridge," prepared for Minnesota Department of Transportation by Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade
and Douglas, Inc., 1997; Frederic Quivik and Dale Martin, "Iron and Steel Bridges in Minnesota,"
July 1988), in Jeffrey Hess, "Final Report of the Minnesota Historic Bridge Survey: Part 2"
August 1988); National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (draft), "Holmes Street
Bridge, Bridge 4175," prepared for Minnesota Department of Transportation by Mead and Hunt,
2005. Detailed lists of sources are included in the above documents.
PART V. PROJECT INFORMATION
Historians:
Susan Granger
Scott Kelly
Christine Gesick
Form Preparer:
Mead & Hunt, 2006
MHPR NO. SC -SPC -068
MHPR Identification Number: SC -SPC -068 Page 7 of 7