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Prescott Drawbridge
1990 Prescott Bridge from southeast (2009).jpg
The bridge in 2009
Coordinates 44°44′56″N 92°48′17″W / 44.74889°N 92.80472°W / 44.74889; -92.80472
Carries US 10
Crosses St. Croix River (Wisconsin-Minnesota)
Locale Prescott, Wisconsin and Denmark Township, Minnesota
Official name Prescott Highway Bridge
Other name(s) Prescott Drawbridge
ID number 82010
Characteristics
Design steel girder with double-leaf bascule draw span
Total length 672 feet (205 meters)
Width 54 feet (16 meters), 4 lanes
Height 20 feet (6 meters)
History
Opened 1990
Statistics
Daily traffic 13000/day

The Prescott Drawbridge, also known as the Point Douglas Drawbridge, is a special kind of bridge. It carries U.S. 10 across the St. Croix River. This bridge connects Prescott, Wisconsin, with the Point Douglas park area in Denmark Township, Minnesota.

This bridge is unique because it's a "drawbridge." A drawbridge is a bridge that can open to let boats pass underneath. The Prescott Drawbridge has a "double-leaf bascule" section. This means two parts of the bridge lift up, like giant arms, to create a gap for ships. The part that lifts is made of a steel grate, which is like a strong metal grid.

What Makes This Bridge Special?

The Prescott Drawbridge is the only highway drawbridge in the Minneapolis-St.Paul area that is still actively used by cars and trucks. About 13,000 vehicles cross it every day! It was finished in 1990.

Right next to the road bridge, there's another bridge for trains. The BNSF Railway uses a different type of opening bridge called a vertical-lift bridge to cross the St. Croix River. On a vertical-lift bridge, the middle section goes straight up, like an elevator, to let boats pass.

A Look Back: The Old Bridge

The current Prescott Drawbridge replaced an older bridge. The first bridge was built in 1922. It was a rare example of a Waddell & Harrington vertical-lift bridge. This old bridge was a "toll bridge" from 1923 to 1946. This means drivers had to pay money to cross it.

Before building the new bridge, officials studied different ideas for the crossing. They looked at building a higher, fixed bridge that wouldn't need to open. But in the end, they decided to build the drawbridge we see today.

Gallery

  • Prescott, Wisconsin Bridge Spanning St. Croix River

    The 1922–1990 vertical lift bridge

  • Aerial view of Prescott Bridge and BNSF Railway bridge over St. Croix River (2010)

    Aerial view of the 1990 bridge and adjacent BNSF Railway vertical-lift bridge

  • BNSF Lift Bridge - Prescott, Wisconsin (29712828551)

    BNSF Lift Bridge - Prescott, Wisconsin

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