The Punteney Bridge is a somewhat older concrete girder bridge. It features the tubular pile method of pier construction. The bridge also has the old style open guard rails, which are considered to be obsolete today. Given the low traffic count on the bridge, it is unlikely that the railings will be modernized anytime soon.

This bridge is located at what was once the Port of Aitkin, a busy spot for river steamboats that traveled between Brainerd and Grand Rapids. In fact, the 1898 bridge that was replaced by this 1970 structure was a swingspan that moved out of the way to let steamships travel past the bridge.

Today, the steamship era is long past, and the river bridge is mainly used by farm traffic. There is a very important farming region located in this part of the state.

The photo above is a view from the north bank of the river from a vantage point located west of the structure. Note that the brown water color is visible in this photograph. The photo below is a view looking down the length of the traffic deck towards the city of Aitkin located south of the Mississippi River.

The photo above is looking south along the west face of the bridge. The city of Aitkin is visible in the background. The photo below is the marker sign noting the bridge name.