BNSF Railway Missouri River Bridge Project Update

February 2025: 
In the new year, crews are constructing the walls and caps for Piers 8, 11 and 12. Progress on the piers continues through the winter while the team also plans to start on Pier 4 on the eastern side of the river. To facilitate that work and keep the public safe in the construction zone, a section of River Road Trail in Bismarck will be closed beginning March 1, 2025 for the duration of the project.

The area of the trail closure is approximately 200 feet on either side of the bridge project site at the railroad right of way. Signs placed both north and south of the railroad bridge along the trail will alert the public to the closure. Approximate closure locations are depicted in the map posted on the project web site.

BNSF and the project team appreciate the public’s cooperation in avoiding the trail in that area.  

 

December 17, 2024 – 2024 Wrap Up:
With 2024 almost wrapped up, the BNSF bridge project team is midway through construction of our new railroad bridge at Bismarck, Mandan. Equipment has been removed from the Missouri River this week as crews demobilized on-water activities for the winter. Cranes and barges, along with sheeting for the cofferdam of Pier 7 have been pulled, and people will take a brief break over the holiday season to spend time with family and friends.

So far:

  • More than half the piling is driven for the new bridge
  • Nearly 3/4 of embankment is constructed west of the bridge
  • Constructed:
    • Pier 2
    • Pier 3
    • Pier 7
    • Pier 9
  •  Underway, but not complete (ongoing work includes forming walls and/or pier shafts):
    • Abutment 1
    • Pier 8
    • Pier 11
    • Pier 12

To come:

  • Early in the new year, crews will resume work on Piers 8, 11 and 12.
  • For Pier 10 and Abutment 13, pile driving will begin early 2025.
  • After ice out, attention will turn to river piers, Piers 5 and 6.
  • We anticipate in March 2025, Pier 4, on the eastern edge of the river will be under construction as well, requiring the closure of a section of River Road Trail for the remainder of the project and some daytime traffic control on River Road.

We appreciate the community’s ongoing cooperation and patience as we work toward total project completion in 2027!

 

August 21, 2024 – pictures and this update are available at bnsfbismarckbridge.com
Crews at the BNSF Railway bridge over the Missouri River at Bismarck and Mandan continue working around the clock on Pier 7 in the river. Double shifts are being utilized to pump river bottom material out of the cofferdam, which must be completed before pile can be driven. To keep construction on schedule and remove the cofferdam in time this winter, crews will be pile driving at night, likely beginning later this month, through completion of the pile driving at Pier 7.

Trucks hauling material for the embankment on the west side are nearing completion for this season. About 65% complete, the embankment will require some additional material to bring it up to the needed elevation for hosting the new railroad track. The majority of the remaining embankment will be placed in 2027.

Other progress includes the completion of Abutment 1 and Piers 2 and 3 on the east side. Pier 9 is the furthest along of the piers on the west side. The pile are driven, the footing and the lower portion of the stem have been poured. Pier 8 pile driving is almost complete, and Pier 7 work is ongoing as mentioned. Similar to last winter, crews will work at the project site as long as weather allows and then break for winter. In the spring, depending on weather, work will resume and focus on the east side of the project. Pier 4, at the edge of River Road, along with Piers 5 and 6 in the river, will be constructed in 2025.

BNSF continues to appreciate the collaboration with local agencies and the community as we build a new bridge that will serve our customers and the state for another 100 years.

 

June 21, 2024 Trucks bringing material for the new embankment on the west side of the BNSF bridge project are expected to resume next week in double shifts as crews aim to complete the embankment this construction season. Westbound trucks will exit Liberty Memorial Bridge and travel the access road built on the ND DOT right of way adjacent to I-194, so trucks can avoid local roads. The project team would like to remind motorists to slow down and use caution throughout the work zone.

 

May 24, 2024 To maximize the calendar and productivity, the timing has shifted for some of the pier construction for the new BNSF Railway bridge over the Missouri River. For the westernmost pier for the new bridge, 72 piles were driven, completing Pier 9 pile production this week. Crews also are excavating the cofferdam for Pier 8 and driving sheet piles for the cofferdam for Pier 7. Cofferdams are the areas in which the piers are constructed. Pier 7 is one of three piers in the river channel. East of River Road, Piers 1-3 also are under construction.

Recreational users of the river will notice areas marked as inaccessible because of the active construction site, but a river channel will remain open throughout the project.

Building the new embankment, originally estimated to resume earlier this spring, is planned to start the first week of June. Westbound trucks bringing in material for the embankment will exit Liberty Memorial Bridge and travel the access road on the NDDOT right-of-way next to I-194, keeping construction trucks away from local roads. The project team would like to remind motorists to slow down and use caution throughout the work zone. These project updates and photos can be seen at the project website.

 

April 9, 2024 –Crews are constructing the piers for the new BNSF Railway bridge over the Missouri River at Bismarck and Mandan. After a brief pause during winter, work began with pile driving for Pier 9 on the west side and will begin soon for Pier 8 near the west riverbank.

Barges have been assembled to serve as a base for equipment used during in-water construction, including long-reach excavators, cranes, bucket lifts, welders, and pile hammers.

With barges in place, preparation is underway for work at Pier 7, one of the two piers in the main river channel. Throughout the project, the river will always have an open channel for recreational users.

You can find this and other updates at the project website. 

 

March 15, 2024 –As the weather cooperates this spring, crews are remobilizing at the construction site of the BNSF bridge between Mandan and Bismarck. Construction of the new piers will continue as we estimate driving H pile for Piers 9 and 8 on the west side of the Missouri River beginning the week of March 18. This work will occur during daylight hours and could include Saturdays.

Crews will remain on the west side of the river for much of the 2024 season. In addition to Piers 9 and 8, plans call for Pier 7 in the river channel to be constructed in 2024-2025. It’s estimated that work on Pier 7 will occur later this summer. The river piers on the east side of the channel will now be constructed in 2025-2026.

In Bismarck, River Road Trail will remain open for most of 2024 for recreational users, but once crews start staging equipment and preparing for pier construction on the east side, a portion of the trail will be closed for the safety of the public for the duration of the project. We understand the impact of this trail closure on the community, but to complete the project safely and efficiently, we have to utilize the railroad right of way without concerns for people walking or biking in the active construction site.

Piers on the east end of the project will be constructed mid to late-summer 2024. Spans on the east and west ends of the bridge may be hoisted in place.

Construction of the new embankment northwest of the existing bridge will resume this month and should be completed later this fall. Based on the agreement reached with the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) and like last summer, westbound trucks will exit Liberty Memorial Bridge and traverse the access road on DOT right of way adjacent to I-I94 to bring in equipment and material. This keeps construction traffic away from local roads.

The project team would like to remind motorists to slow down and use caution throughout the work zone. 

View project information and sign up for updates at https://bnsfbismarckbridge.com/