Originally an all-wood structure, Riner Viaduct first carried travelers over the railroad yards in 1892. At that time, a significant portion of Cheyenne’s commercial district was located immediately south of where the viaduct was built.

Although named after J. S. Riner, Cheyenne’s mayor from 1887 to 1891, the structure has also been called the Central Avenue Viaduct. Riner was in his second term when the Kansas City Structural Steel Co. of Kansas City, Mo., replaced the original viaduct with a steel structure in 1929. The replacement was a joint venture by the railroad, Laramie County and federal government.

However, after many years of heavy use and weathering, deterioration set in. Use restrictions became necessary, and replacement became inevitable.

On the morning of July 15, 1982, the last vehicle passed over Riner Viaduct because the first of twin replacement viaducts was ready for traffic. Riner Viaduct was razed during the 1982-83 winter to make way for construction of the second viaduct.