Original article
The current 4-lane Liberty Memorial Bridge, opened in 2008, replaced a 2-lane vehicle bridge which was in use since 1922. The people of Mandan and Bismarck worked together to provide a structure built with tradition, vision and honor. The Liberty Memorial Bridge honors all military veterans who served and are serving in the armed services during our country's history.
This bridge's design incorporates plazas at each end with 11 spires to symbolize the Armistice, which is the peace agreement signed at the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month of 1918 to end World War I. Different panels outlining background information on the bridges and their details of their construction and operation are provided at the plazas on each end. The original memorial plate was recovered from the 1922 bridge and incorporated into the west plaza as the historic connection to the former bridge.
The two prairie rock plinths mounted with the bronze plaques which originally stood on each end of the former bridge were recovered and installed as a feature of the end-plazas. The plaques, provided by the local chapter of the American War Mothers in 1924, marked the bridge as part of a rural stretch of gravel road from the intersection of Hannifin Street and Main Street in Bismarck, along Front Avenue, across the bridge and down "the Strip" until it reached the east end of its Main Street at today's Mandan Avenue. Thay section of US Highway 10 was redesignated as "Memorial Highway" by both cities, a designation that remains today.
Five overlooks on the south edge of the pedestrian walkway with their flags and service branch seals honor a different branch of the United States military: Army, Marine Crops, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard. Flags are raised at a minimum of five days per year: Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independance Day, Labor Day and Veterans Day. All veterans are intended to by honored by the flags, plazas and south-side overlooks are symbolic of all service men and women standing guard and protecting our communities.
Work on the bridge began in 2006 when, after significant studies were undertaken, that the prior Liberty Memorial Bridge could not be brought up to modern standards to handle the growth in traffic from the original level of 2000 cars per day to more modern 15,000 cars per day estimates. The steel-box bridge consists of 14 spans with 6 piers located in the Missouri River. It spans 2370 feet between major abutments, is 84 feet 8 inches wide and provides 285 feet of vertical clearance baove the river. Concrete used for the structure included 5000 psi concrete using coal fly-ash as aggregate reinforced by epoxy-coated reinforcing steel rebar to combat the impacts of road salt. The cost of the bridge, approaches and associated road improvements totaled $62 million. The bridge is owned by the North Dakota Department of Transportation. The general contractor for the project was Lunda Construction Company of Black River Falls, Wisconsin.
Each end-plaza, including the spires, and adjacent lower level parks are lit at night. Lights are also provided at each of the 5 pedistrian walkway outcroppings and associated flag poles as well as along the underside of the bridge which make for a very dramatic appearance. Additional information is available at the the YouTube video produced by the ND Department of Transportation as part of the cultural/historical mitigation effort associated with the removal of the original bridge. Both the original ND Liberty Memorial Bridge from 1922 as well as the new Liberty Memorial Bridge which opened in 2008 are included. It can be viewed on the YouTube channel at:
Copy-edited article
The current four-lane Liberty Memorial Bridge opened in 2008, replacing the two-lane bridge used since 1922. Mandan and Bismarck worked together to create a structure built around tradition, vision, and honor. The bridge honors all veterans who have served in the United States armed forces.
Plazas at each end incorporate 11 spires symbolizing the armistice that ended World War I at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. Interpretive panels describe the bridges and their construction and operation. The original builder's plate from the 1922 bridge was installed in the west plaza to connect the new structure with its predecessor.
Two prairie-rock plinths and bronze plaques that stood at the ends of the former bridge were recovered and installed in the new plazas. The local chapter of the American War Mothers provided the plaques in 1924. They marked the bridge as part of a rural gravel route from Main and Hannifin streets in Bismarck, along Front Avenue, across the bridge, and down "the Strip" to the east end of Mandan's Main Street at present-day Mandan Avenue. Both cities designated that portion of U.S. Highway 10 as Memorial Highway, a name that remains in use.
Five overlooks along the south edge of the pedestrian walkway honor the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard with flags and service seals. Flags are raised at least five days each year: Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day. The flags, plazas, and south-side overlooks symbolize service members standing guard over their communities.
Work began in 2006 after studies determined that the previous bridge could not be upgraded to modern standards or accommodate traffic growth from approximately 2,000 to 15,000 vehicles per day. The steel-box bridge has 14 spans and six piers in the Missouri River. It extends 2,370 feet between its major abutments, is 84 feet 8 inches wide, and provides 28.5 feet of vertical clearance above the river. Its concrete contains coal fly ash and is reinforced with epoxy-coated steel to resist road salt.
The bridge, approaches, and associated road improvements cost $62 million. The North Dakota Department of Transportation owns the bridge, and Lunda Construction Company of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, was the general contractor.
The end plazas, their spires, and the adjacent lower-level parks are illuminated at night. Lighting also marks the five pedestrian overlooks, their flagpoles, and the underside of the bridge.
The North Dakota Department of Transportation produced a video about the 1922 and 2008 Liberty Memorial bridges as part of the historical and cultural mitigation associated with removing the original bridge.