Lathers Road Bridge

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Turtleville Truss Bridge 

The Turtleville Iron Bridge carries Lather Road 140 feet, from abutment face to abutment face, across Turtle Creek. It was built in 1887 by the Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company, and is a Pratt through-truss with pin connections and bottom chord eye-bars. The wooden flooring, covered with an asphalt road bed, is supported by riveted stringers and floor beams. Triangular nameplates are affixed atop each portal. Metallographic examination of three specimens from a post, a counter rod, and a hip vertical, conducted by the Beloit Foundry Company, revealed a typical microstructure of true wrought iron and iron silicate slag. In 1981 the bridge was in fair condition, covered with a layer of oxidation. It has since been scheduled for demolition. The Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company was founded in 1870 under the name 'Weinhagen Brothers, Engineers.' Its name was changed in 1880.

Facts 

Overview

Through truss bridge over Turtle Creek on Lathers Road

Location

Town of Turtle, Rock County, Wisconsin

Status

Open to traffic, weight restrictions in place

History

Built 1887 by Wisconin Bridge & Iron

Builder

- Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Co. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Design

"The Turtleville Iron Bridge carries Lather Road 140 feet, from abutment face to abutment face, across Turtle Creek. It was built in 1887 by the Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company, and is a Pratt through-truss with pin connections and bottom chord eye-bars. The wooden flooring, covered with an asphalt road bed, is supported by riveted stringers and floor beams. Triangular nameplates are affixed atop each portal. Metallographic examination of three specimens from a post, a counter rod, and a hip vertical, conducted by the Beloit Foundry Company, revealed a typical microstructure of true wrought iron and iron silicate slag. In 1981 the bridge was in fair condition, covered with a layer of oxidation. It has since been scheduled for demolition. The Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company was founded in 1870 under the name 'Weinhagen Brothers, Engineers.' Its name was changed in 1880."
--Jean P. Yearby, 1984, from research by George Daanko, 1977

Dimensions

Length of largest span: 141.4 ft.
Total length: 147.3 ft.
Deck width: 14.1 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 15.6 ft.

Recognition

Posted to the National Register of Historic Places

Also called

Turtleville Iron Bridge

Approximate latitude, longitude

+42.56583, -88.96495   (decimal degrees)
42°33'57" N, 88°57'54" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")

Approximate UTM coordinates

16/338714/4714473 (zone/easting/northing)

USGS topographic map

Shopiere

Inventory numbers

NRHP 77000053 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 34923 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Inspection (as of 06/2006)

Deck condition rating: Satisfactory (6 out of 9)
Superstructure condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Satisfactory (6 out of 9)
Appraisal: Structurally deficient
Sufficiency rating: 19.1 (out of 100)

Average daily traffic (as of 2004)

450

Categories 

Update Log 

• August 8, 2008: New photos from J.R. Manning
• August 1, 2008: Essay added by J.R. Manning
• July 31, 2008: New photos from J.R. Manning

Sources 

• HAER WI-4 - Turtleville Iron Bridge, Spanning Turtle Creek, on Lathers Road, Beloit vicinity, Rock County, WI
• J.R. Manning - thekitchenguy [at] sbcglobal [dot] net

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