When it opened in 1880, The Short Line Bridge brought Milwaukee Road trains from St. Paul into the Milwaukee Road Depot in Minneapolis. The bridge also hosted the Selby Ave street car line. The bridge was rebuilt in 1902 with stone piers and the structure was vastly strengthened. This was to accommodate the ever heavier railroad equipment common in the early 20th century.
Prior to this bridge being built, passenger traffic from St. Paul would have to head southwest out of town, cross the river near Fort Snelling, and then come back into Minneapolis along the present day Hiawatha Blvd. The new bridge allowed trains from St. Paul to go west out of the city, and cross directly into Minneapolis, significantly cutting the length of the route. As a result, locals called this the Short Line, and the bridge became known as the Short Line Bridge. The last regularly scheduled Milwaukee Road passenger train crossed the bridge in 1971.
The rail lines have been cut both north and south of this bridge on the Minneapolis side of the river, and the line has been cut back to a single track. Only a few industries are still served as a result, and there is no through traffic on the line. As of 2005, the unused side of the bridge is being converted into a rails-to-trails river crossing that will connect extensive trail networks on both sides of the river. It is hoped that this bridge can be used for the bicycle trail, but so far, its owner, CP Rail, is not interested in seeing both bicycles and trains on the same bridge. A suspension bridge was proposed to be built just downstream of the Short Line Bridge, but that proposal was put to rest in 2007.
On July 16, 2006, arsonists poured gasoline on the wooden floor of the bridge and set it on fire. The fire burned the wooden beams and cross-ties on a 300 foot section of the bridge. Repairs were expected to take several months and cost upwards of $200,000. If you look close, you can spot a yellow air compressor sitting on the east end of the bridge. That marks the eastern extent of the fire.
