BNSF Cowlitz River Bridge Jigsaw Puzzle BNSF Cowlitz River Bridge Replacing a century-old railway bridge in rural Washington meant accessing an isolated jobsite and developing a careful construction plan. Choosing steel made both easier! Structural steel gave the new BNSF bridge longer spans--reducing the number of foundations in the Cowlitz River--and allowed smaller sections to be transported to the site and assembled on location. Learn more about this bridge replacement project at aisc.org/bnsf-cowlitz-river.