Rock Island Bridge (Kansas City, Kansas)

Bridge in Kansas to Kansas City, Missouri

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Bridge

Coordinates| 39°05′28″N 94°36′31″W﻿ / ﻿39.0911°N 94.6087°W﻿ / 39.0911; -94.6087
Carries| formerly 1 track of Rock Island railroad
Crosses| Kansas River
Locale| Kansas City, Kansas to Kansas City, Missouri
Official name| Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Bridge
Maintained by| Rock Island Railroad (until closed in 1972)
Characteristics
Design| Through truss
History
Opened| 1905
Closed| 1972
Location

The Rock Island Bridge in Kansas City, Kansas is a rail crossing of the Kansas River. It connects the Armourdale, Kansas to West Bottoms. It is a truss bridge that is closed to traffic.

It was built in 1905. It has two main spans and a smaller one on the east side. It also has a screw-jack lifting system to allow the bridge to be lifted during floods. It was used until 1972, when the Kansas City Stockyards closed down, Kemper Arena was built right in the path of the tracks, and Rock Island abandoned the line to the bridge later that year. The bridge's rails were cut off at each end and a levee for the Kansas River was built at the east end. It no longer carries railcars, but just carries electrical wires in a rack. It is located just north of Kansas Avenue over the Kansas River.

As of September 21, 2021,Flying Truss, LLC leased the Rock Island Bridge from the Unified Government of Wyndotte County. Flying Truss will be creating and dining and entertainment venue along with a Community Zone to activate the river and bike trails. Designs can be seen at rockislandkc.com

On the morning of September 21, 2022, Lumen Technologies reported a fire on the Rock Island Bridge.

## External links[edit]

* Railroads in Kansas - Kansas Heritage
* Bridgehunter - Kansas City, Missouri
* 1951 floods photos
* https://rockislandbridgeproject.org/

Crossings of the Kansas River

| Upstream
23rd Street viaduct
| Rock Island Bridge (Kansas City)
Rock Island Railroad | Downstream
Union Pacific Intermodal Bridge
Union Pacific Railroad

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