Viaduct becomes community favorite as it defends Pierre Street from large vehicles
PIERRE, S.D. – In 1907, the Chicago and North Western Railroad Co. finished its 2,200 foot long swing bridge connecting Fort Pierre and Pierre, providing the first permanent Missouri River rail crossing in central South Dakota linking East River and West River.
Around that same time, a few miles to the east, construction was beginning on another bridge in Pierre as well. Far less grand, this one didn’t cross a major body of water or revolutionize transportation in the region. Its advent was not likely celebrated in the same way, especially in a state where the use of cars was still limited.
While this bridge’s role in South Dakota’s development was minimal, its legacy of low clearance and high drama has left a lasting mark on the capital city and beyond.
Enter the Pierre railroad bridge, as it’s called today by locals, or the South Pierre Street Viaduct as it’s more formally referred to on Google Maps. Though it sells no goods or services, it has managed to garner a 2.7 star rating there, because since the beginning of 2023, 22 trucks and RVs have failed the 11 feet, 3 inch clearance required to pass underneath. 15 semi-trucks have hit it, compared to 7 campers.
“It’s turned into ‘oops, there is another,’” said Pierre Police Department Capt. Dusty Pelle, the department’s spokesman. He noted that though they have had 21 reported incidents, it’s likely at least a handful have hit the bridge but managed to get through before the police got there. “We kind of roll our eyes at the situation now.”
Located between the federal building that houses the likes of the Post Office and federal courthouse – among other U.S. government offices – and Walgreens, the bridge is no secret. Entering the capital city from either direction, those driving such vehicles are urged to take the “alternative truck route.” If you ignore the warning past that point, flashing lights on the bridge itself indicate the height necessary to clear the obstacle, giving you one final opportunity to turn around.
Yet many drivers still barrel ahead, and meet the bridge head on. That’s fodder for the community, especially the Swanson family. Together, they run the “Trucks vs. Bridge, Pierre SD” Facebook group, a tongue-in-cheek community started as a familial inside joke in 2010. The group now boasts over 25,000 members from across the globe, with locals racing to post every time another vehicle fails the bridge’s unyielding height test, or recommending ways to prevent future accidents in the downtime.
“There ought to be a way I can make money off the Facebook page,” Roy Swanson joked. “Every time someone hits it my phone blows up.”
Officials with the city of Pierre, too, have contemplated ways to prevent future accidents. They’ve come up with roughly the same ideas – and they’ve also reached out directly to travel sites like Google and MapQuest, urging them to direct truck drivers around the bridge.
“Most of these accidents are truck drivers that are not from the area just following their GPS routes,” said Pierre City Commissioner Jamie Huizenga. He noted that the road under the bridge cannot be lowered, nor the bridge raised. “The city of Pierre has invested a tremendous amount of time and resources into alleviating collisions between high profile vehicles and the train bridge. At a certain point there is only so much we can do to protect people from not paying attention while driving.”
For all its notoriety, the Pierre railroad bridge remains steadfast, a silent enforcer of its 11-foot, 3-inch rule. It doesn’t flinch, it doesn’t forgive, and it certainly doesn’t accommodate. Like a referee in a game no one wants to play, the bridge protects its undefeated record with every large vehicle it encounters.
And while local officials and law enforcement officers work to mitigate the chaos, locals and fans of the Facebook group keep their eyes peeled, prepared to document the next mishap.
“Some people want to add an accident counter off to the side, but where do you start?” Swanson asked. “People have been hitting it for decades.”
