Julien Dubuque Bridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Julien Dubuque Bridge
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Julien Dubuque Bridge in October 2008
Location	US 20, between Dubuque, Iowa, and East Dubuque, Illinois, over the Mississippi River
Area	3.8 acres (1.5 ha)
Built	1943
Architectural style	Trussed arch bridge
NRHP reference No.	99001034
Added to NRHP	August 27, 1999

The Julien Dubuque Bridge is a special bridge that crosses the mighty Mississippi River. It connects two important towns: Dubuque, Iowa and East Dubuque, Illinois. This bridge is a key part of U.S. Route 20, a major highway that helps people travel across the country. It's one of only two bridges in this area that cars can use to cross the Mississippi. Because of its interesting past and design, it's listed in the National Register of Historic Places, making it a historically important landmark.

Discovering the Julien Dubuque Bridge

Bridge Details

The Julien Dubuque Bridge is painted a light gray color. It stretches a long distance, about 1.75 kilometers (5,760 feet) across the river. The bridge is 28 feet wide, which is enough space for cars to travel safely. The longest single section of the bridge, called a span, is 845 feet long. This clever design helps it cross the wide Mississippi River.

A Look Back: The Bridge's Story

For many years, people living in the area really wanted a new bridge. The old one was known as the "High Bridge" or "Wagon Bridge." However, it was quite difficult to find enough money to build a brand new bridge back then.

Building During Wartime

During World War II, building a new bridge became super important. It would help move military supplies and soldiers more quickly and easily. So, in 1942, construction began on the first parts of the bridge. By 1943, the bridge was completely finished! It was painted a light gray color. This was a smart safety measure during the war, making it harder for enemies to spot from the sky.

How the Bridge Became Free

To pay for the bridge, money was borrowed using something called bonds. You can think of bonds like a special type of loan. Because of this, the bridge started its life as a toll bridge. This meant that drivers had to pay a small fee each time they wanted to cross. The money collected from these tolls was used to pay back the loans. So many cars used the bridge that the loans were paid off much faster than anyone expected – 11 years early! By 1954, the Julien Dubuque Bridge became completely free for everyone to use.

Updates and Changes Over Time

In the early 1990s, the bridge received a big update and repair project. Workers replaced the road surface where cars drive. They also added a brand new walkway for people to use safely. Before this major renovation, the bridge was dark green. After the update, it was painted light gray again, which is the color it remains today.

Connecting Major Roads

Before another bridge, called the Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge, was built, the Julien Dubuque Bridge carried even more highways. It used to carry US 61 and US 151. This meant these highways briefly passed through Jo Daviess County, Illinois. Now, US 61 and US 151 use the newer Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge. This bridge connects Iowa and Wisconsin directly, so those highways no longer travel through Illinois.

The Barge Incident

On June 9, 2008, something quite unusual happened at the bridge. Several large boats, called barges, broke free and drifted into the bridge. These barges were carrying important goods like corn, soybeans, and iron ore. They struck one of the bridge's strong support pillars on the eastern side. Because no one was sure if the bridge was still safe, authorities closed it for a short time. All traffic was sent to the Dubuque–Wisconsin Bridge, a few miles north, while engineers carefully checked the Julien Dubuque Bridge for any damage.

More to Explore

• List of crossings of the Upper Mississippi River