This is the only pipeline bridge that I am aware of in Minnesota. There is also one on the Mississippi River, and at least 2 that I know of on the Missouri River. This is also one of the few pure suspension bridges in the state.

While this structure is called the Great Lakes Pipeline Bridge, it appears to be owned by Northern Natural Gas. NNG is a holding company that has bought up a number of pipeline branches in the upper midwest. The system has a main pipeline that runs from Duluth to Kansas and Texas where the natural gas fields are located.

The gas pipeline has been helpful to the Ethanol industry. For example, the Ethanol plant in Granite Falls was able to connect directly to this pipeline using a short feeder branch. That allowed them to buy gas at the market, at wholesale, or to lock in prices for future delivery. Ethanol plants that are not located on the pipeline have to bring their gas in by train cars or tanker trucks.