WINONA, Minn. – The last notable collision into an Upper Mississippi bridge was at Winona in 2018. A barge broke loose and rammed a pier on the newer of the bridges that connect to Wisconsin. Damage was minor. Bridge impacts, however, are not uncommon. The U.S. Coast Guard, which tracks such things, has recorded 40 water vessels hitting locks, dams and bridges on the Upper Mississippi since October 2022, none catastrophic. These are the Minnesota spans to Wisconsin:
Red Wing: U.S. 63 to Hager City (River (Mile marker 791).
Wabasha: State 69 to Nelson (Marker 760).
Winona: State 43 to Bluff Sliding (Marker 725).
Dresbach: Interstate 90 to LaCrosse (Marker 701).
LaCrescent: U.S. 14 and 61 to LaCrosse (Marker 697).
There also are remnants of several railroad bridges, all dismantled wholly or partially — except the still operational Canadian Pacific swing-bridge between LaCrescent and LaCrosse.
Main channel crossing. Twin spans at Winona, built in 1942 and 2018.
2008 Winona ferries
Engineers found rusting gusset plates on the two-lane Highway 43 span at Winona in 2008. This was 10 ears before the companion two-lane concrete span was built. The older span, built in 1942, was closed 11 days for the gussets to be repaired. Travelers had to detour 60 miles to Wabasha or LaCrescent or park their cars and board improvised recreational boats and be ferried back and forth.