Northwood Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Northwood Bridge
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 Location in North Dakota
Location in the United States
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| Location | Across the Goose River, unnamed county rd., 1.5 mi. SW of Northwood, North Dakota |
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| Built | 1906 |
| Architect | Fargo Bridge & Iron Co. |
| Architectural style | Pratt pony truss |
| MPS | Historic Roadway Bridges of North Dakota MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000175 |
| Added to NRHP | February 27, 1997 |
The Northwood Bridge, also known as the Goose River Bridge, is a 56-foot-long (17 m) bridge that crosses the Goose River. It is located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Northwood, North Dakota. This bridge was built in 1906.
The Northwood Bridge is special because it is a rare type of bridge called a "half-hip Pratt pony truss". A pony truss bridge does not have a top structure connecting the two sides. It is also the oldest known bridge still standing in Grand Forks County, North Dakota. Because of its importance, the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. This list helps protect important historical places in the United States.
The Northwood Bridge is one of ten bridges built by the Fargo Bridge & Iron Co. in North Dakota that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bridge Collapse Event
On July 22, 2019, something unexpected happened to the Northwood Bridge. A large truck, a 2005 Peterbilt tractor trailer, tried to drive across it. The truck was carrying a heavy load of dry beans.
Why the Bridge Collapsed
The Northwood Bridge had signs saying it could only hold a certain weight. It was designed for vehicles weighing up to 14 short tons (13 t). However, the truck that tried to cross weighed about 43 tons, which is much heavier than the limit.
Because the truck was too heavy, the bridge collapsed under its weight. The truck's trailer got stuck on the bridge's west side. Luckily, the driver was not hurt.
After the Collapse
After the collapse, the truck driver received a large fine for driving an overloaded vehicle on the bridge. Experts estimated that it would cost a lot of money to replace the bridge, somewhere between $800,000 and $1,000,000.
