Friday, July 4, 2008
The Wimer Covered Bridge in Jackson County, Oregon, has been fully restored after it collapsed in 2003. It will be
dedicated this Sunday, July 6. While Oregon still has roughly 50 covered bridges, Wimer is the only one open to vehicular traffic.
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Tuesday, July 1, 2008
It's amazing what can be done with modern GPS navigation systems.
I have been able to load the entire bridge database
on to my low-end Garmin Nuvi 200 (roughly $150 now). With the
data installed as "Custom Points of Interest" I can quickly pull up
the locations of all nearby bridges while on the road.
I've uploaded a ZIP file (1.8 MB) containing the necessary POI information for Garmin and possibly other GPS receivers. Inside is bridges.gpi, which can be loaded directly to recent Garmin models, and bridges.gpx, an XML
file that can be edited and converted for other receivers.
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Tuesday, July 1, 2008
David Backlin sends word that the Powell Bridge in McDonald County, Missouri,
will be preserved for pedestrian use after a replacement bridge is built on a new alignment. The county originally intended to tear it down, but will instead give the bridge to the Powell Historical Preservation Society. A fundraiser will be held July 4 to raise money for repairs and preservation costs.
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By J.R. Manning
Thursday, June 26, 2008
The bridges that carry westbound I-94 over the Rock River and the Crawfish River, closed because threats from flood water, have reopened.
AM620 WTMJ News reports that Wisconsin DOT has thoroughly inspected both bridges and determined them to be safe. The eastbound lanes will be restricted to one lane on June 27 to facilitate removal of the crossovers that were installed last week.
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Wednesday, June 25, 2008
A railroad bridge leading to a Tyson's plant near Columbus Junction, Iowa,
collapsed last night, injuring the engineer who had to be rescued from the water. This appears to have been a
wooden trestle over a backwater channel.
Officials are worried about the integrity of the Park Road Bridge in Iowa City. This bridge -- and perhaps many others -- may have suffered from scouring by the strong current of the floodwaters.
The Federal government has authorized an emergency $1 million for bridge and road repairs.
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Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Workers attempted to pull the wreckage of the Charles City Suspension Bridge
out of the river, but
were stymied by the soft ground and tangled mess.
The good news is that most of the bridge remains on site and didn't wash downstream.
It's possible that some can be salvaged as part of a reconstruction.
Three more bridges have been
reportedly washed out by the floods, this time
in Butler County. Meanwhile, the approaches to
two bridges in Cedar County were damaged and could take months to repair.
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Sunday, June 22, 2008
- The Lake Taneycomo bridge at Branson, Missouri, is a major bottleneck
and the source of much controversy over what to do with it.
The latest proposals, however, will
ensure that the bridge remains standing.
- Raymond Klein sent this link to a collection of photos
from the Dallin Aerial Survey Company, 1924-1941. Lots of bridges are included, although
the photos are copyrighted.
- The Highway 99 bridge over the Minnesota River at St. Peter, Minnesota,
is on the state's list of bridges to be replaced in the next decade, but
officials hope it can be relocated and preserved.
- Here's an interesting concept: an historic bridge bike tour.
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By Anthony Dillon
Saturday, June 21, 2008
The
Moscow Covered Bridge Festival is still going to be held June 27-29 as planned. The proceeds will be used not only to help victims from the tornado, but also to help rebuild the bridge. Apparently inmates from the New Castle Correctional Facilty are being used to retreive the truss timbers for reuse. If anyone wants to donate to the rebuilding of this impressive structure they can send it to this address.
MainSource Bank
P.O. Box 249
Rushville, IN 46173
Make checks payable to: Moscow Covered Bridge Restoration Fund.
Having spent a great deal of time on and under this bridge, I personally can't wait to see it back in place towering over the Flatrock River.
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Saturday, June 21, 2008
- Two more bridges in Linn County, Iowa,
were damaged by flooding.
The article is vague about exactly which bridges were affected, but the county engineer
believes they can be "lifted back into place."
- The Iowa Department of Transportation has
a photo gallery of road and bridge
damage.
- If the flooding wasn't bad enough, a bridge
near Essex, Iowa, was burned this week
under suspicious circumstances.
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Friday, June 20, 2008
The
Huntzinger Bridge in Fayette County, Iowa, was another victim of the flooding. From the newspaper description, this was a peculiar structure, with one half a 1916 concrete arch design and the other half a reconstructed 1951 steel beam design. Replacing this bridge and fixing all of the other damage in Fayette County is
going to be expensive.
In other flood news, conditions in Wisconsin are improving slightly, with northbound I-39 reopening. Two river crossings on Westbound I-94 lanes are still threatened by high water, but traffic has been diverted to the eastbound side, using quickly constructed crossovers, so the vital Interstate link can carry traffic in both directions.
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Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The Winona Bridge
opened this week to restricted traffic.
The faulty gusset plates will be repaired this summer.
Meanwhile, Minnesota has
announced plans to replace
120 bridges in
the next decade, including 11 major bridges.
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Tuesday, June 17, 2008
- Mississippi River bridges are closed
at Fort Madison
and Burlington.
- Iowa has been getting most of the attention, but parts of Wisconsin
are a real mess. Many roads and bridges in Jefferson County are closed.
Westbound I-94 remains closed between Madison and Milwaukee, although
the state is working on
building crossover ramps
to allow one-lane traffic in both directions.
- Despite rumors, none of the truss bridges in Winneshiek County, Iowa,
were washed away. The Henry Bridge did suffer some damage but is otherwise
intact.
- Here are photos of the Sutliff Bridge collapse:
before
and after.
- Jason Smith forwarded this video clip
of the Cedar Falls railroad bridge collapse.
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Sunday, June 15, 2008
The unbelievable flooding in Iowa has wiped out yet another historic bridge:
the Sutliff Bridge. One of the three spans
collapsed and the rest are shaky at best. This was a restored Parker through truss and a popular tourist attraction.
Update June 14: As the crest moves downstream,
officials are worried about possible bridge collapses in Iowa City. Meanwhile, the state's railroad network is basically shut down thanks to destroyed bridges and inundated tracks all over the place.
Update June 15: Portions of the Mississippi River above St. Louis are expected to reach levels above those seen during the Great Flood of 1993. Levee failures are possible, even likely. Bridges at Quincy and Louisiana are closed.
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Thursday, June 12, 2008
The situation
continues to deteriorate in parts of Iowa with historic flood levels wiping out bridges. A 1903 railroad bridge in Cedar Rapids was
destroyed this morning. Meanwhile, a railroad bridge in Winneshiek County
also collapsed, damaging the approach to an adjacent highway bridge. It's likely that other bridges will be lost in this flood.
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Tuesday, June 10, 2008
- The crazy weather in the Midwest has claimed another victim:
the Charles City Suspension Bridge in Floyd County, Iowa. It was
washed away by flash flooding Sunday night. Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and other states
were hit hard over the last few days. More bridges may have been damaged by flooding,
tornadoes, high winds, or who knows what.
- Arkansas is placing two pony trusses
up for adoption
in Craighead County.
- The US 136 Bridge over Chariton River in Schuyler County, Missouri,
is undergoing replacement.
- Workers at the
US 18 bridge over the Mississippi River at Prairie du
Chien, Wisconsin, heard a strange noise as a heavy truck crossed. As a result,
a ban has been issued for overweight permit loads (over 80,000 pounds).
These major river bridges are being closed or restricted at an alarming rate.
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Sunday, June 8, 2008
- Demolition of the highway bridge at Glasgow, Missouri, is slated
to start August 4, 2008. The through trusses and deck will be removed
and a new superstructure built on top of the existing piers. While
the bridge is undergoing reconstruction, MoDOT has contracted with a company
to provide ferry service.
- Bridge No. 13 in Shelby County, Indiana, will be preserved thanks
to funding from the state highway department. This is a 19th Century
Pratt through truss built by the King Bridge Co.
- A campaign has been started to
reconstruct the Dewey Bridge, the suspension bridge in Grand County, Utah,
partially destroyed by fire recently. Early reports indicated
the bridge was completely destroyed, but apparently the fire only
ravaged the deck, not the steel towers or cables.
- Local support is growing to
save the Murray Morgan Bridge in Tacoma, Washington,
closed since last October after failing an inspection.
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Wednesday, June 4, 2008
The Moscow Covered Bridge in Rush County, Indiana, was
destroyed by a tornado early Wednesday morning. This was the longest covered bridge in Indiana still carrying traffic. Photos from the scene show that the bridge is completely
sitting in the river, but it may be possible to reconstruct it. The
annual festival celebrating the bridge, scheduled for later this month, is now in limbo.
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Wednesday, June 4, 2008
The Mississippi River Bridge at Winona, Minnesota, was
suddenly closed Tuesday after failing an inspection. Until the bridge can be repaired and reopened, which might take a few weeks, the city is hoping to offer an emergency ferry service for commuters. Ironically, the bridge is featured on a stamp celebrating Minnesota's
sesquicentennial.
Meanwhile, problems were found with the Meridian Bridge at Yankton, South Dakota, causing a 10-ton weight limit to be imposed. A replacement bridge is scheduled to open this fall. Other bridges failing inspection include the DeSoto Bridge at St. Cloud, Minnesota (permanently closed and awaiting replacement) and the Blatnik Bridge at Duluth (emergency repairs underway). Finally, the bridge at Hastings, Minnesota, has been fast-tracked for replacement.
More details -- and finger pointing -- are
coming out from the investigation into the I-35W bridge collapse.
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Thursday, May 22, 2008
While rural historic bridges are being replaced at an appalling rate,
larger bridges in cities seem to be faring somewhat better:
- The Junction Bridge in Little Rock opened to pedestrians last weekend.
This might be the only rails-to-trails project involving a vertical lift bridge.
(Maybe the Boonville Bridge can be next.)
- The McKinley Bridge in St. Louis, currently open to vehicular traffic,
is set to have its new biking/hiking lane
dedicated June 7th. The bikeway
will take advantage of the refurbished Branch Street Trestle to provide
access on the Missouri side from street level.
- Also in St. Louis,
plans are underway to rehabilitate the abandoned Iron Horse Trestle
for pedestrian access. This elevated
rail line will serve to connect downtown with the McKinley Bridge.
- Leaders in Jefferson City, Missouri, are
deciding how best to add
a pedestrian walkway to their Missouri River bridge, eventually
connecting the Katy Trail to the Capitol grounds.
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Sunday, May 11, 2008
This spring has seen the publication of some bridge-related books:
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Monday, April 28, 2008
- Another lawsuit has been filed over the Boonville
Railroad Bridge. The Union Pacific Railroad wants to dismantle the
bridge and move some of the approach spans to build a new bridge at Osage City. At issue is whether historic preservation
requirements were sidestepped during the process of obtaining the permit
for the project.
- Construction has started on the
replacement for Kansas City's Paseo
Bridge, while St. Louis has chosen a design firm for its new Mississippi
River Bridge. Both cities have positioned their bridges as "landmark"
or "signature" spans, but these cable-stayed bridges will probably
look the same as any of the other cable-stayed designs built recently by other major cities.
- Any bridgehunters in the Tampa Bay area? I'll be in Tampa
the week of May 4 on business and might be able to squeeze in some bridgehunting.
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Sunday, April 20, 2008
- The Lowry Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River
at Minneapolis may need to be permanently closed due to shifting of one of the piers.
- The Old Monroe Bridge at Lincoln County, Missouri, is
closed following a collision. While this bridge no longer carries Highway 79,
it is still a convenient access point for the town of Old Monroe.
- After a 5.2-magnitude earthquake shook much of the Midwest on Friday,
bridge inspectors in some states were dispatched to look for damage,
but it appears they didn't find much.
- Demolition is underway on the old Hermann Bridge over the Missouri River
at Hermann, Missouri. It was replaced by a UCEB (Ugly Concrete Eyesore Bridge).
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Friday, April 18, 2008
The
suspension bridge at
Beaver, Arkansas, has been flooded twice
during the last month. Even after the water finally recedes from
White River, the bridge might remain closed because of damage by the floodwater and debris.
See photos
here,
here, and
here.
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Saturday, April 12, 2008
The
Dewey Bridge over the Colorado River near Moab, Utah, was
destroyed by fire on April 6. Supposedly, the
fire was started by a 7-year old boy "playing with matches."
Built 1915-16 by the Midland Bridge Co., this suspension bridge had the longest clear span (503 feet) of any bridge in Utah. It's
unlikely that Grand County, the owner, will try to reconstruct it.
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Tuesday, March 25, 2008
By popular demand, I've taken the latest edition of the
National Bridge Inventory and produced a set of
tab-delimited files suitable for importing into Excel or OpenOffice. Warning: This is a huge
36 MB ZIP file that expands to almost 300 MB when uncompressed. If you just want to peruse a few bridges,
Nationalbridges.com might be more convenient.
The Federal Highway Administration only started posting the raw NBI data on their website last year. Prior to that, the agency was paranoid that terrorists could somehow use the data, particularly the GPS coordinates, for nefarious purposes. Thankfully they've come to their senses. In a memo dated May 17, 2007, the FHWA concluded that:
[T]he NBI data does not present information not otherwise publicly available that would likely assist persons in targeting a specific structure or planning an attack on a structure.
The memo also adds this tidbit:
It is also noteworthy that a recent study found that because potential terrorists have numerous options for gathering mission-critical attack information, government Agency data is unlikely to be a primary source of information. The study found that less than 1 percent of 629 Federal data sets reviewed by researchers appeared to have notable value for would-be attackers.
With the collapse of the I-35W Bridge, it's more important than ever for this information to be readily available to the public.
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Sunday, March 23, 2008
Two through truss bridges in Wayne County, Missouri, are on the verge of being replaced and demolished, while a third bridge was recently condemned.
- Construction of a new four-lane replacement for the Greenville Bridge is almost complete.
- The Wappapello Bridge is currently closed by floodwaters, but work is underway to construct a replacement.
- The Lowndes Bridge failed its inspection a few weeks ago and is now closed to traffic. Barricades have been permanently welded to the bridge portals, suggesting that the county has no plans to repair it.
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Sunday, March 23, 2008
The
investigation into the collapse of the
Minneapolis I-35W bridge is revealing that the gusset plates
were starting to bend as early as 2003. Let the finger pointing begin.
Similar problems with the gusset plates on the Division Street Bridge in St. Cloud were recently observed, leading to the closure of the bridge until it can be repaired or replaced.
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Sunday, March 23, 2008
On Tuesday, portions of Missouri and Illinois were hit with a whopping
10-13 inches of rain. Many surrounding areas were drenched as well, with
a huge swath of 5+ inch totals. This led to record or near-record flooding along many rivers, including the Meramec, Big, Gasconade, Black and Castor rivers in Missouri. The waters are starting to recede and it's not clear yet how many bridges may have been damaged.
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Thursday, February 21, 2008
Topographic maps are an essential tool for tracking down lost or abandoned
bridges. The quadrangles produced over the years by the U.S. Geological Survey
often show the traces of old roads and railroads. In the past, these maps were hard to find online, but the
situation has improved:
- The Internet Archive (archive.org) has posted
national coverage for modern-day
quadrangles in TIFF format. These maps include the "collars" from the printed editions,
which include useful information such the date of revision and the
names of adjacent quads.
- The University of Texas Perry-Castaņeda Library
site features modern and historic 250K-scale quadrangles
in convenient JPEG format. These do not include nearly as much detail as the ones above, but many areas
were covered in the 1940s and 1950s and show roads and bridges from the pre-Interstate
days. Also, railroad overpasses are clearly marked, something that
even more detailed maps don't always show.
- The University of Alabama site features
many historic quadrangles from the late 1800s
and early 1900s. Select a state and then look for the "Out-of-Print Quadrangles" link
at the top. Unfortunately, the site requires the MrSID browser plugin which make
serious research difficult. In addition to the quads, UA also has
historic soil survey maps for many counties, another
excellent source of bridge information.
- Other sites with historic topo maps are listed
here. Coverage is sporadic,
but some parts of the country have excellent coverage with maps available in convenient
downloadable formats.
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Monday, January 28, 2008
David Backlin sends word that Missouri
plans to tear down the
Fair Grove Bridge over the Pomme de Terre River north of Springfield, MO. This open-spandrel arch was abandoned after it was bypassed by a new alignment of US 65. The highway will be widened to four lanes and the old bridge stands in the way of the new southbound lanes.
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Friday, January 18, 2008
After months of planning and programming, I'm happy to unveil the new version
of Historic Bridges of the United States. Some of the new features include:
- Brand new search engine: Enter a phrase like
"10-panel Parker through truss" and the system will show matching bridges,
sorted by relevance.
- New category system: Browse bridges by a single category,
or mix-and-match categories to pin-point particular
bridges.
- Photo galleries: View photos of bridge plaques, truss joints, postcards,
and more.
- Revamped bridge pages: Instead of wading through all of the bridge photos
at the top of the page, the photos are shown one-by-one as a slideshow. However, you can always
click "See all photos" to reveal all of them at once.
- Bridges are now listed by city in addition
to state and county.
- You can now post comments and photos to news stories.
I'm working on Phase 2, which will allow you to upload photos and updated information
directly to the site. In the meantime, feel free to poke around the new design
and let me know if you see any pesky bugs or broken links.
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Tuesday, December 18, 2007
- Jeremy Ruble reports that the Bluff Hall Bridge south of Quincy, Illinois,
is closed and might be replaced by a culvert soon. This bridge sits right next
to a state highway bridge, so I don't understand the need to replace it.
- Steve Anderson sends word that the Berry Road Bridge north of Bonne Terre, Missouri,
is closed to traffic.
This is another bridge that sits next to a state highway and doesn't deserve to have so much money spent replacing it.
- It's been 40 years since the
collapse of the Silver Bridge at Point Pleasant, West Virginia.
- The Dysart Bridge in Pennsylvania collapsed recently
under the weight of a snowplow. This will undoubtedly give Pennsylvania even more
reason to demolish historic bridges.
- The Tenth Street Bridge
in Great Falls, Montana, has been refurbished for pedestrian use, complete
with a spectacular lighting system.
- The McKinley Bridge in St. Louis is
finally open to traffic.
- Nathan Holth says that "Google makes getting out of my chair pointless."
Google Maps recently added Pittsburgh -- and its many bridges -- to the list
of cities that you can browse from a street-level perspective. Click on "Street View"
and select any road or bridge outlined in blue, and Google will give you a driver's
eye view, down to the last rivet.
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Monday, December 17, 2007
One person asked about the possibility of purchasing a photo
of the old Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Bridge. I'm happy to oblige
and have made a
few photos available as art prints through lulu.com.
I'm going to pick out some more of my favorite photos from the archives and upload
them. Let me know if you have any special requests.
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Saturday, December 1, 2007
Missouri's Katy Trail is arguably the most successful rail-to-trail project
in the country. As a side benefit, many historic bridges have been preserved
along the old railroad grade.
Now comes word that the Katy Trail will be extended another 46 miles west toward
Kansas City along the old Rock Island Railroad, currently owned by
Ameren. The utility company has agreed to allow construction of the trail
along its right-of-way as partial compensation for the damage caused to Johnson Shut-ins State Park
after the 2005 collapse of the Taum Sauk Reservoir.
But there's a catch. This isn't a rail-to-trail conversion; Ameren still hopes
to eventually use the Rock Island line for freight traffic. Instead, the trail
will be constructed next to the rails, but within the railroad right-of-way.
This is billed as a "rails with trails" project.
This project is a mixed blessing. The extension could possibly be challenged in court
by adjacent landowners arguing that the parallel trail does not serve a "railroad purpose"
under state law and shouldn't use the right-of-way.
Missouri Governor Matt Blunt has used this extension project as a rationale
for not spending state money to save the Boonville Railroad Bridge.
In a recent statement, Blunt argued
that the state should focus on completing the Katy Trail from St. Louis to Kansas City
and not waste time with Boonville. Even though Ameren will foot most (but not all) of the bill,
this "rails with trails" project will remain rather expensive since a new trail --
and bridges -- must be constructed from scratch.
The good news, at least, is that Ameren still intends to bring the Rock Island
line back into service (not just this 46 miles, but the entire route through Missouri).
While the right-of-way has fallen into disrepair and some overpasses have been removed,
the tunnels and large bridges are still intact and could be saved.
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Saturday, December 1, 2007
Jason Smith is preparing to write a book about the many historic bridges
of
Winneshiek County, Iowa. If you might have any
information to share about these bridges (past or present), please read
his
call for help (30K Word document).
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Saturday, December 1, 2007
Gene McCluney and John Cross salvaged an eyebar from a long-lost bridge in Franklin
County, Arkansas, and have turned it into yard art:
And it wouldn't be complete without a Christmas wreath (pictured is John Cross):
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Saturday, December 1, 2007
- Craig Meador reports that the Palmer Slough Trestle, an abandoned bridge
on the Frisco Railroad in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, was unexpectedly demolished
within the last couple weeks.
- David Backlin sends word that the Powell Bridge in McDonald County, Missouri,
will be replaced soon.
Local residents are trying to save the bridge, but options are limited. As usual, the government
is able to find money to replace, but never to rehabilitate.
- The Woolsey Bridge in Arkansas has reopened to traffic with a bare minimum
3-ton weight limit.
- Controversy has erupted over what to do with the
Vida Shaw Bridge,
a swing bridge in Louisiana.
- Plans are underway to
rehabilitate Breeden's Bridge within
O'Bannon Woods State Park near Corydon, Indiana. One half is an 1883 wrought-iron Pratt through
truss (reportedly the oldest Pratt in the state). The other half is a ca. 1900 Parker
through truss that was relocated here in 1959.
- Richard Holderbaugh sent this link
with photos of the rarely-seen Glenallen Tunnel in Bollinger County, Missouri.
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Monday, November 26, 2007
The
national news has picked up
this story
about the village of Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin, offering an abandoned truss bridge
for sale for $1. They intend to sell the bridge to somebody who will haul it off for scrap.
Hopefully, a buyer possessing a little more sense will come along with a plan to preserve
this historic structure. The bridge, a classic pin-connected Pratt through truss,
appears to be in decent shape. Featuring a
100-foot span, it shouldn't
be that difficult to disassemble and relocate elsewhere.
I should point out that many states, counties, and cities will gladly give
away unneeded bridges to people and organizations willing to dismantle and move them.
So this isn't that big of a deal, despite the media attention.
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Wednesday, November 14, 2007
- The newly restored Stearns Truss bridge in Delphi, Indiana,
was dedicated over the weekend.
- Work is underway to
rehabilitate the Big Four Bridge
in Louisville as a pedestrian crossing.
- A new design has been selected
for the replacement for Kansas City's Paseo Bridge. Big surprise: It's yet
another cable-stayed bridge.
- Randall Houp's bridge hunting trip for next week in Arkansas has been postponed
because it conflicted with another kind of hunting: firearms deer season.
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Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Several people wrote in
with the news that the
Wilton Springs Bridge on CR 215
near Marshall, Missouri, was closed to traffic after a hole formed in the wooden deck
large enough to swallow a tire. I visited last weekend and found that the bridge's
deck is actually in decent shape except for the hole. This pin-connected Pratt
through truss features decorative finials rarely found on a rural bridge.
The Eastwood Street Viaduct on Old Highway 240 at Marshall has been closed
for a couple years. This is a rare concrete through-girder bridge built
by the Missouri highway department. The city has plans to replace the viaduct,
along with the adjacent open-spandrel arch bridge over Salt Fork.
Arrow Rock State Historic Site features a rare Kingpost pony truss that was relocated
from a nearby county road. The bridge was moved to its new home next to a fishing lake,
but remained unfinished until this year.
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Thursday, October 18, 2007
- The Judsonia Bridge in Arkansas was closed on Oct. 5 after it failed
an inspection. The bridge was recently rehabilitated, but apparently not all
of the problems were fixed.
- Let's hope the War Eagle Bridge in Arkansas
can hold out long enough
before it can be rehabilitated.
- The replacement UCEB for the Hermann Bridge in Missouri
was dedicated on October 12th.
- Investigators of the Minneapolis disaster seem to be
making some progress,
focusing on deterioration of the gusset plates, particularly "L-11"
along the lower chord. Meanwhile, the process of replacing the bridge is turning into a circus,
with a lawsuit filed that challenges
how the winning bidder was selected.
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Thursday, October 4, 2007
I don't know how I missed this, but the
bowstring bridge near Danville, Arkansas,
was listed on the National Register
of Historic Places effective
August 16, 2007.
Woo-hoo!
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Thursday, October 4, 2007
This self-anchored suspension bridge on Route J in Camden County, Missouri, has
been
closed for emergency repairs.
The MoDOT news release is a little vague, saying that the inspectors "discovered a pin in the structure that required repair."
Let's hope this unique bridge doesn't need replacement.
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Saturday, September 22, 2007
The East Delhi Bridge, a through truss in Washtenaw County, Michigan, which
had been slated for demolition, will instead be
rehabilitated and reopened to traffic.
This project sets an interesting precedent. Almost always, the
Federal government refuses to provide funding to rehabilitate "obsolete" narrow bridges,
instead mandating demolition and replacement with Ugly Concrete Eyesore Bridges
that meet modern specifications. In this case, the Feds have allowed rehabilitation,
with the requirement that stoplights be installed at each end to regulate
traffic across the one-lane bridge. Could this be the start of a new trend,
one that saves money
and preserves history?
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Saturday, September 22, 2007
This two-span Parker truss in Washington County, Arkansas,
has been
closed to traffic indefinitely
after failing an inspection. The county hasn't decided what to do next.
The Woolsey Bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places
and was documented by the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER AR-63).
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Saturday, September 8, 2007
Finally, some good news. Two different bridges -- both featuring last-of-their-kind
truss designs -- have been relocated and rehabilitated, and are now
set to be reopened to pedestrian traffic. Both of these unique bridges are national treasures.
The Gilmore Bridge in Indiana, a Stearns Truss,
has been moved to its new home over the Wabash & Erie Canal.
According to the newspaper story, the project cost about $30,000 -- a bargain for moving
a 19,000 pound bridge.
Meanwhile, the Zoarville Station Bridge, a Fink Truss in Tuscarawas County, Ohio,
will be dedicated in a public ceremony on September 15.
Greg Hall visited the site at the end of July when the bridge had just been lifted into place:
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Saturday, September 8, 2007
- The Amelia Earhart Bridge at Atchison, Kansas, is going to be replaced and demolished, despite intense lobbying by preservationists.
- Local officials are trying to raise money and support to save the New Harmony,
Indiana, toll bridge over the Wabash River.
- The Kate Shelley Bridge, a massive viaduct near Boone, Iowa,
will be bypassed
by a parallel railroad bridge under construction, but the old viaduct will be
allowed to remain standing.
- A drawbridge on New Jersey Highway 36 over Shrewsbury River
will be replaced with a new high-level bridge.
- Gusset plates are
still suspected as the possible cause of the Minneapolis bridge disaster.
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Saturday, September 1, 2007
You may be wondering why I haven't been posting any new photos lately, even
though I currently have a backlog of over 850 contributions to process (not counting
my own photos). I've been working on a major site redesign with a new database
system that will let you upload your own photos, information, and trip reports
directly to the site so that you don't have to wait for me. However, since
the I-35W disaster, I've also switched gears to upload new inspection reports and
data from the 2006 National Bridge Inventory, a time-consuming process.
As part of the redesign, my hosting bills are going to be increasing. If
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Saturday, September 1, 2007
The Governor of Missouri has been
pushing a plan to replace 800 bridges
as part of a single construction contract. The legislature just passed a bill that
eliminates the last obstacle for making this happen.
I somehow missed it until now, but the MoDOT website and PowerPoint
presentation for this initiative have been using copyrighted photos from bridgehunter.com without permission or attribution. How nice.
There is some good news with this "Safe & Sound" Project. Many of the 802
bridges slated for replacement are, in fact, Ugly Concrete Eyesore Bridges (UCEBs),
typically built during the 1960s and 1970s. It's troubling that so many
"modern" bridges could be allowed to deteriorate to the point where they
are now structurally deficient.
I'm surprised to see that many
historic truss and arch bridges from the 1920s are not on the list.
However, the oldest bridge on the Missouri state highway system,
Gootch's Mill Bridge (1905), is unfortunately slated for replacement. The loss
of this bridge will likely mean that the stone piers underneath it, probably
from an earlier covered bridge, will be lost as well.
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Saturday, September 1, 2007
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