Nestled in central Iowa less than an hour southeast of Des Moines is Iowa’s largest lake. Lake Red Rock was built to control flooding. Completed on March 17, 1969, the lake filled within only three days due to spring runoff.
Believe it or not, Lake Red Rock is every inch of 33 miles long. Thankfully, the designers realized that people needed a way to get across this expanse without having to drive around. With the filling of the lake, 10 miles of state roads and 86 miles of county roads were going to become submerged or require relocation.
That is why, in 1963, before the lake was filled, a contract was secured to build the Route 14 bridge which connects Knoxville, Iowa to Monroe and Interstate 80 further north. Incidentally, Interstate 80 in Iowa was also under construction at this time and the eastern portion would be open to traffic around the same time the Route 14 bridge was completed.
When it was built, the Route 14 bridge was Iowa’s longest and tallest bridge. The bridge was completed and opened to traffic in November of 1965.
It would be three and a half years until the water rose, making the view from above the valley only a memory.
The bridge itself is made with 42 piers, and, despite its nickname (“the mile-long bridge”), at 5,653 feet, it is well over a mile long. The cost for such a long creation was $2.4 million dollars which with inflation would adjust to 17.5 million in 2021.
For all its incredible length, the bridge isn’t that wide - only 36 feet. Unfortunately, this doesn’t leave room for a walking path, so the only way to cross the bridge is in a vehicle. When you are on this bridge today, you will get a tremendous view of Lake Red Rock which appears to stretch as far as the eye can see upriver and downriver.
If you are in an RV or hauling a trailer you might slow down a bit before approaching the bridge as there can be significant cross winds, especially in the winter!
If you drive over to check out this huge bridge, another great vantage point is the Cordova observation tower in Cordova Park which is near the end of the north side of the bridge. The observation deck is a great way to get a bird's eye view of the area, including all 42 concrete piers of the Mile Long Bridge.
You can find out more about Lake Red Rock here or Cordova Tower here. Did you know the history behind the "Mile Long Bridge"? Have you ever crossed it on a drive over Lake Red Rock?
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