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Discovery Bridge (Yankton)
Encyclopedia
The Discovery Bridge is a bridge that carries US Route 81
across the Missouri River
from the Nebraska
border to the South Dakota
border. The Discovery Bridge connects Yankton, South Dakota, with rural Cedar County, Nebraska
.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was on October 11, 2008, a year ahead of schedule.
. Now completed, the Discovery Bridge serves as a replacement for the Meridian Highway Bridge, which is about 1000 feet (304.8 m) downstream.
The bridge is a finalist in the 2009 America's Transportation Awards for "representing the best in innovative management, accountability and timeliness".
U.S. Route 81
U.S. Route 81 is one of the many United States Numbered Highways established in 1926 by the US Department of Agriculture Bureau of Public Roads....
across the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
from the Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
border to the South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
border. The Discovery Bridge connects Yankton, South Dakota, with rural Cedar County, Nebraska
Cedar County, Nebraska
-History:Cedar County was formed in 1855. It was named for the great number of cedars that grow there.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 9,615 people, 3,623 households, and 2,565 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile . There were...
.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was on October 11, 2008, a year ahead of schedule.
History
Construction began on the Discovery Bridge in June 2007. The bridge then opened on October 11, 2008, which was exactly 84 years after the dedication of the Meridian Highway BridgeMeridian Highway Bridge
The Meridian Highway Bridge is a bridge that formerly carried US Route 81 across the Missouri River from the Nebraska border to the South Dakota border. The Meridian Highway Bridge connects Yankton, South Dakota, with rural Cedar County, Nebraska...
. Now completed, the Discovery Bridge serves as a replacement for the Meridian Highway Bridge, which is about 1000 feet (304.8 m) downstream.
The bridge is a finalist in the 2009 America's Transportation Awards for "representing the best in innovative management, accountability and timeliness".