Minnesota Bridge For Sale For A Buck… With A Catch

A historic Redwood County, Minnesota bridge is up for replacement, and the county's loss could be your gain!

MINNESOTA BRIDGE FOR SALE 

The Gold Mine Bridge was built in 1903 and is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The Minnesota Department of Transportation says the bridge is a 'rare Minnesota example  of a Parker through-truss bridge,' and that it is the only surviving bridge designed and built by Lawrence H. Johnson.

MNDOT: 

The three-span superstructure consists of a 170-foot seven-panel Parker through-truss main span and two 10.5-foot steel beam span approaches on each end of the main span, for a total structure length of 191 feet. The pin-connected truss main span has a maximum vertical clearance of 8.4 feet. The deck is 15.7 feet wide and comprises two layers of timber planks; the bottom layer runs perpendicular to the bridge while the top wearing surface runs parallel. A raised wood curb runs the entire length of the bridge on both sides with evenly spaced scuppers. The railing is formed by angle iron posts and two horizontal angle iron rails with strap metal la2ce between the rails. The railing is bolted to the vertical truss members.

According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the bridge is in 'fair to poor condition' due to its damaged and corroded superstructure.

HOW MUCH IS THE GOLD MINE BRIDGE?

The bridge is currently available for a minimum bid of just one dollar. However, the new owner of the bridge will be responsible for relocation costs -and- for the re-erection of the bridge on a new site, including substructures and a bridge deck.

MNDOT says the Gold Mine Bridge was posted with a five ton weight restriction beginning in 2021, which prevented farm equipment, fire trucks, ambulances and school busses from using the bridge.

In 2023 the bridge was closed to all vehicular traffic 'due to a critical deficiency finding on the truss.'

Prospective buyers have until December 1st, 2026 at 4 p.m. to express their interest to Redwood County.