The Ankeny to Woodward trail has an icon associated with it that is very unique and will also be a big attraction to the trail: a 2,300 ft. long and 130 ft tall dedicated trail bridge.
Channel 13 aired a short news story about the trail and bridge. To watch the news clip and fly with Chopper 13 as it views the bridge piers from the sky, Click Here.
It's difficult to understand from pictures just how high the piers rise out of the valley floor into the sky. The piers are remnants of the abandoned railroad and bridge structure that crossed the wide Des Moines River valley with a meandering river and lush marsh area below it. The piers are located along Highway 210 between Mardrid and Woodward.
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In the late fall and winter the flat railroad bed streaming out into the valley sky is very apparent. From atop the old bridge abutment, one can see the expance of the valley carved out by the river. |
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Each one of the very stable piers is contructed of thousands of pounds of steel and concrete. Beginning in 1971, the piers supported the incredible weight of the railroad bridge and cars, and now soon will simply support a trail bridge.
There is a 100 ft. span between the center of each 16 ft. wide pier. From Highway 210, which is located just north of this future bridge, it appears as if the piers are round. But upon close inspection one can see they are basically a rectangular design with rounded corners.
This area's history and geology will surely influence the design of this bridge. Initial design of the bridge is expected to begin soon. Once constructed, the bridge will serve local, state, and national trail goers for many years. |
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