Year constructed: 1948
Bridge type: Steel Continuous Girder & Floorbeam
National Register of Historic Places status:
Eligible
Length: 1,145 feet
Width: 26 feet
Spans: 8
FHWA: 018490
Jurisdiction: Cedar County
Location: Old Iowa 979 (CR F44/290th Street) over the Cedar River in Rochester, Section 11, T79N-R3W (Rochester Township)
Details
Carrying Old Iowa 979 (now CR F44/290th Street) over the Cedar River in Rochester, this eight-span 1,145' by 26' bridge was constructed in 1948. The bridge has concrete piers that support steel continuous girders and floorbeams. Bids for the new bridge were opened on December 10, 1946 (Burlington Hawk-eye Gazette Nov. 22, 1946:1). A bid for $290.396.43 from the Amos Mellberg Co. of Cedar Rapids was approved by the ISHC on April 16, 1947 (Iowa City Press-Citizen April 16, 1947:1). On May 4, a section the existing iron truss bridge at Rochester collapsed after a truck passed over the span (Tipton Advertiser May 6, 1948:1). This sped up completion of the new bridge and by late November 1948, the bridge was completed and opened to traffic in January 1949 (Iowa City Press-Citizen November 23, 1948:1). In 1984, the concrete deck was replaced and the steel members were cleaned and painted.
This bridge was chosen for Phase II architectural survey as it met the registration requirements outlined in the MPD as as a large bridge of exceptional span or overall length that are ""in the upper 95th percentile of their type in main span length; or are of the longest span length for their type in Iowa; or are of exceptional overall length to represent a major engineering and construction effort from the state or local perspective."" The CR F44 Bridge is a steel continuous girder and floorbeam bridge (Type 403) that is in the 95th percentile in main span length. The 95th percentile for Type 403 bridges is 154', which is length of the six main spans of the CR F44 Bridge. The bridge does represent a major engineering effort as it was the earliest Type 403 bridge to exceed 150' in span length; and thus, does meet the registration requirements under Criterion C."