The historic East Omaha Bridge is among the most unique bridges in the country. Built in 1893 by the Omaha Bridge and Terminal Railway Company, it connected Omaha and Council Bluffs for rail service.
Constructed of wrought iron, it was originally a single swing bridge, with the Iowa side rotating open to allow barge traffic to pass while the Nebraska side remained fixed.
In 1904, a second swing span constructed of steel was added on the Nebraska side after the Missouri River’s navigation channel shifted approximately 300 feet from beneath the Iowa span to the Nebraska span. When completed, it became the largest swing bridge in the world, featuring two back-to-back swing spans measuring 520 feet each…