Discovery Bridge

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  • Feb 10, 2010

The City of Yankton, South Dakota is located on the North Bank of the Missouri River in the southeastern part of the South Dakota. It was incorporated as a village in 1861 and served as the Capital for the Dakota Territory from 1861 to 1883.

Yankton is home to more than 3,000 businesses and transportation across with river to Nebraska is required. In 2001 a study concluded the life span of the existing Meridian Bridge, built in 1924 was limited. The existing bridge was a steel, vertical lift bridge double deck, Pratt through truss structure. While the bridge could be rehabilitated to serve traffic for an additional twenty-five to thirty-five years, it was believed that the cost of a new bridge would be less than the annual rehabilitation costs of the Meridian Bridge.

The Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) agreed to be the lead agency on the Yankton Bridge replacement project. A four-lane, 6-span bridge spanning 1,590 feet and is 74-feet wide was designed. Work on the drill shafts for the piers began in June 2007 and a groundbreaking ceremony was held on July 4, 2007. The concrete deck work began in June of 2008 and was completed on August 19, 2008.

The bridge is a finalist in the 2009 America's Transportation Awards for "representing the best in innovative management, accountability and timeliness.”