Long Meadow Bridge in Bloomington, Minnesota

Side view of the Long Meadow Bridge and plane enroute to the Twin Cities International Airport. Photo taken in August 2011

Inspite the number of historic bridges being demolished or wiped away because of natural disasters, there are a few bright spots to consider. The Long Meadow Bridge in Bloomington, MN is one of them.  Spanning the Long Meadow Lake arm of the Minnesota carrying Old Cedar Avenue, this 1920 structure, featuring five riveted Parker through truss spans with M-frame portal bracings has had a long history in itself. The current structure is the second crossing at this site where a major thoroughway used to exist. Originally connecting Minneapolis with the southern suburbs of Apple Valley, Bloomington and other smaller towns, Cedar Avenue used to be a major throughway back in the times where freeways did not even exist, with three major bridges carrying the major highway- Tenth Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, the Minnesota River Swing Bridge, and this one, located just to the north of the Swing Bridge. The Swing Bridge and this bridge were built at the same time in 1890, with the latter featuring trestle approaches a possibily a swing span as its main span. Evidence of this can be found in pictures, as shown by John Weeks, who has visited this bridge many times (click here for pictures).  Yet for some reason, be it lack of boat traffic or flooding, the swing span and trestles at Long Meadow Lake were replaced with a series of fixed spans in 1920, which has not been altered since then.  Both bridges served traffic crossing the island and providing access between the southern suburbs, the International Airport and downtown Minneapolis. This was until the bridges were rendered useless with the construction of the tied arch bridges in 1979, and Cedar Avenue (which had become Hwy. 77 in 1949) was rerouted to this freeway bridge. Sections of Cedar Avenue were eventually either rerouted or cut off with the construction of the Hwy. 62 Crosstown and I-494 Freeways, while the swing span over the Minnesota River was torn down shortly after the opening of the Hwy. 77 Bridge in 1980. Yet the Long Meadow Lake Bridge continued to serve traffic until it was deemed unsafe and was closed to cars in 1993 and later to all pedestrians and cyclists in 2002, fencing it off and removing 30 feet of decking on each side of the bridge. Despite the construction of a pedestrian bridge south of the bridge over the Minnesota River, there has not been any access to the airport, Mall of America (built in 1991) and the rest of the Twin Cities from the south.

But that is about to change!

For years, officials from several aspects of government, including the City of Bloomington, the National Park Service, the National Wildlife Preserve, and the state government have been wrestling over the future of the bridge, with the majority of the Bloomington City Council wanting to see the bridge torn down and replaced with a berm or a new crossing, and the federal agencies wanting the bridge to be kept as it is part of the national wildlife refuge which includes 35 miles of wildlife along the Minnesota River starting at Ft. Snelling State Park south of St.Paul. With the fight lingering, it seemed that there would be no end in site, and the bridge would eventually become part of naturing, decaying slowly but surely.

But recent decisions made this month has given the Long Meadow Bridge new life. This is thanks to Representative Ann Lenczewski, DFL-Bloomington, who had been fighting to provide funding for the reconstruction of the structure. How she successfully accomplish this task though required some clever thinking and some support from House Speaker Paul Thissen, DFL- Minneapolis and Governor Mark Dayton, DFL. The scoop: The Mall of America. Built in 1991 as the largest mall in the country at that time, officials wanted to expand the facility to include more shopping, lodging, gambling and parking possibilities, a project worth over $1.5 billion.  State legislators on 22 May agreed on a proposal to provide $250 million towards the project and additional $9 million for the bridge. There was a catch though, which was no cent would be spent unless the City of Bloomington agreed to reconstruct the bridge.  While the city breathed a sign a relief that funding is available and were very forthcoming on the proposal, they had another catch to the plan: officials cannot tear down and replace the bridge!

10 days ago, the Long Meadow Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its association with the type of bridge used during the 1920s, when the era of standardized truss bridges with riveted connections and heavy steel to accomodate traffic was in full motion. It was also part of the history of the Old Cedar Avenue and for many residents, the history of Bloomington itself.  With its listing on the National Register of Historic Places, the bridge will receive new life as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge as it will undergo extensive rennovation to reopen the important link between the southern suburbs and the airport and the Twin Cities.

How this bridge will be rehabilitated remains unclear. Judging by the author’s visit in 2011, combined with inspections done by the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation, the major problems contractors will be facing will be the decking portion of the bridge, as many floorbeams and cross beams have corroded away to a point of irreparability and will have to be replaced. Yet if lessons are learned from three other examples, the Merriam Street, Washington Avenue and 4th Avenue Bridges, it is most likely that the Long Meadow Bridge may be set into a concrete bridge, which will function as the main bridge with the truss bridge being the ornament. On the other hand, if wood decking is needed, than new steel beams will be needed to support the deck and to function as a standing structure.  The superstructure itself appears to be in great condition despite the rust but will most likely be repainted so that it is protected against weather extremities. While it is unclear what the condition of the piers are, learning the lessons from the collapse of a railroad bridge in Calgary, Alberta (Canada) because of flooding, it is most likely that they will have to be inspected for scouring and be reinforced and or replaced.  And lastly, the old highway will need to be cleared of downed trees and other vegetation which had taken over since 2002. The road does not necessarily need to be replaced  as it still retains its historic character, yet some touch-ups will be needed to ensure that safety and aesthetics go together like bread and butter.

The hill will be steep to climb regarding rehabilitating the bridge, but one can use $9 million wisely to make the bridge what it was before it was closed to all traffic and return the bridge to its original form- as a piece of history connecting three key points. Thanks to Ann Lenczewski, DFL-Bloomington, the wish of restoring the bridge and opening it up again will become a reality. The Bridgehunter’s Chronicles will keep you posted on the latest on this bridge.

Photos:

Photo taken in August 2011

Ariel view of the Cedar Avenue Bridge taken in 1968 by MnDOT. The expressway bridge built 600 feet south of the bridge was built 10 years later.

 

Cedar Avenue Swing Bridge over the Minnesota River built south of the Long Meadow Bridge. Portal view of the bridge photographed by MnDOT

Oblique view of the Cedar Avenue Swing Bridge over the Minnesota River in an open formation. Photo taken by MnDOT

You can see a gallery with photos taken of the bridge by the author with some details and explanations here.

Flooding threatens Historic Bridge Weekend

Hale Bridge near Anamosa in Jones County. Photo taken in 2010

Record Flooding Expected in Jones, Delaware and Linn Counties. Anamosa already flooded. County Fairs already cancelled.

Of all the weather-related abnormalities that we have been facing this year- late spring, drought, and unusually high number of tornadoes, the abnormality we’ve been facing the most this year has been flooding. And the one area that definitely does not need any more water now is the northern half of the United States.

This includes the State of Iowa, which is bracing itself for another record flood.

Heavy rains have caused some flooding in many parts of the state so far this summer, but the primary concern at the moment is the eastern portion of the state. There, the counties of Jones, Linn, Delaware, Allamakee, and Buchanan are bracing themselves for record floods, a first in five years in many areas.  Especially hardest hit will be the areas along the Wapsipinicon River, in places like Anamosa, Central City, Paris, Independence and Manchester, where the river has already flown over its banks and the levels are rising faster than the city can keep up with the sandbagging efforts. Already, parts of Central City and Anamosa are under water and with record crests expected, people are trying to minimize the damage as much as they can, including the ones in the vicinity of Anamosa, who had previously experienced record flooding in 2008. Already these counties have cancelled their annual fair and livestock exhibits but the cancellation of more events appear more likely as the river rises.

Historic Bridge Weekend to be relocated:

The unfortunate part about the flooding along the Wapsipinicon River and some other areas in the east central part of Iowa is that these areas are highly populated with historic bridges, including the ones in Jones County, where six bridges built in 1920 and earlier span the river. This includes the Hale, Anamosa City and Shaw Road Bridges located four miles from each other. Although these bridges are on the places to visit list for the Historic Bridge Weekend in August (even though that may change), the primary concern at the moment is the venue for Friday night. As mentioned in the announcement, the Dedication Dinner honoring James Hippen for his work on historic bridges was scheduled to take place at the Stone City General Store and Restaurant west of Anamosa on Friday night, August 9th beginning at 6:30pm.  The event is on as scheduled, but a new venue is most likely needed for according to reports, the General Store, located right next to the river, is expected to be flooded. A back-up plan is in the works and an update will be provided as soon as a venue is found. Please note that the time may change with the venue, so please plan accordingly when coming to the Friday night event.  Other changes in the schedule are expected, especially when reports come in on the damages from the flooding to not only the Anamosa area and those along the Wapsipinicon River, but also to the bridges affected by the floods.

If you have a venue that you think would be best suitable for the Friday night portion of the Historic Bridge Weekend, please contact Jason Smith at the Chronicles at flensburg.bridgehunter.av@googlemail.com.  The venue of the event must be in the northeastern corner of the state in the vicinity of Dubuque, Delaware, Linn and Jones Counties, but NOT in the areas affected by the flooding.

Links to the flood update are found here:

http://hooplanow.com/2013/06/26/linn-county-fair-cancelled-due-flooding/#.UcudZBM8-Io.email

http://thegazette.com/2013/06/26/record-flooding-predicted-in-central-city/

http://thegazette.com/2013/06/26/record-flooding-expected-along-wapsipinicon-river-basin/

http://thegazette.com/2013/06/26/storify-eastern-iowa-prepares-for-record-flooding/

http://www.kcrg.com/floodwatch2013/updates

 

Red Bridge in Jasper County in visier of the Historic Bridge Weekend:

While out of tour range, a pair of Jasper County bridges are on the list of bridges to visit for this year’s Historic Bridge Weekend given their proximity to Marion County, the site of the Sunday matinee at Red Rock Visitor’s Center and evening dinner in Pella. The Red Bridge and the 126th Avenue Bridge are both located over the South Skunk River, approximately five river miles from each other. The former was built in 1892 by H.S. Efnor, a local contractor, and features a Warren through truss bridge similar to the Dietzenbach Bottom Bridge in Fayette County, but with a Pratt pony truss approach span. The latter was built by George E. King in 1899 and is a Pratt through truss bridge. Both bridges are closed to traffic and are scheduled to be demolished. However, a group is trying to save the Red Bridge from being scrapped. The bridge has been closed to traffic for over 10 years and part of the structure has collapsed because of flooding. The group, which you can view the page here, wants to save the bridge and reuse it for recreational purposes.

Mystery Bridge Nr. 25: The Chaska Swing Bridge

The 1905 engraving on the abutment of the north approach truss span. Photo courtesy of John Marvig

Michaela
12.00

Normal
0

21

false
false
false

DE
X-NONE
X-NONE

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}

There are many characteristics that made the Twin Cities and its metropolitan area unique during the first half of the 20^th Century. This includes historic bridges built by many bridge builders, like Commodore Jones, Alexander Bayne and the Hewett family,  who made their fortunes manufacturing bridges parts to be erected in Minnesota, South Dakota and places to the west.  Many bridges built between 1880 and 1920 made their mark along the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers as well as over railroads, whether they were stone arch bridges or those made of iron and steel.

The 1896 Chaska Swing Bridge before it was replaced by the Hwy. 41 bridge in 1959 and later in 2011. It was one of two crossing the Minnesota River and one of many bridges built by Gillette and Herzog, a Minneapolis bridge building firm. Photo courtesy of MnDOT.

Between the mouth of the Mississippi River and Mankato, as many as two dozen bridges were constructed between the aforementioned time periods. Yet a quarter of these structures were swing bridges. Consisting of a single span through truss bridge supported on a central pier, a swing bridge turns on the center pier from the river bank towards the middle of the river, allowing ships to pass through.  Bloomington, Savage, Shakopee, Chaska and Belle Plaine had their own swing spans before shipping traffic ceased to exist in the 1930s and were consequentially rendered useless and replaced with fixed span bridges. The Dan Patch Swing Bridge near Savage is the only example of such a swing bridge left along the Minnesota River. Even though the bridge used to serve both rail and vehicular traffic, like the Lindaunis Bridge in Germany, since Canadian Pacific has owned the bridge, the structure is used exclusively for trains.

Dan Patch Swing Bridge near Savage. Photo taken by John Marvig

This mystery bridge article deals with the Chaska Swing Bridge. Located over the Minnesota River between Chaska and Carver, the bridge served as an important railroad link connecting  Chaska and Shakopee between the time it was built in 1871 (rebuilt in 1890 and 1900) and the time it was discontinued by 1972 when its owner the Milwaukee Railroad abandoned the line. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources purchased it in 1978 to be converted into a bike trail.  This bridge and two other crossings along the line became part of the earlier version of the rail to trail that was supposed to connect Chaska and Shakopee with Bloomington and points to the north. Yet the vision for this riveted steel truss bridge, which featured a Pratt through truss north approach span, was short-lived for despite renovations done on the bridge, the structure was condemned in 1996 when inspectors found that the bridge was sinking and the approach span was shifting. This may have had something to do with the floods in 1993, but there was no concrete evidence to support this claim.  As a safety precaution, on 22 August, 1996, the bridge was imploded. All that remains today are the piers from the approach span and the abutments.  The rest of the bike trail was abandoned after a nearby trestle near Chaska was arsoned on 11 October of that same year. The connection between Chaska and Shakopee was lost until 2011, when the trail was rerouted to the Hwy. 41 Bridge. This coincided with the demolition of the Carver Railroad Bridge, which occurred at the same time. There is hope that this route may be revived in the form of new bridges built at the site of the old railroad bridges in Carver and Chaska, including that of the Swing Bridge.

John Marvig needs your help regarding the bridge. He is currently writing a book about railroad bridges in Minnesota and, he’s looking for information as to who built the structure in 1871 as well as ca. 1900, when the first structure made of iron was replaced by the steel structure, which was in service until it was demolished in 1996. In addition, information on the bridge builder responsible for the north approach span built in 1905 is needed as well.  Exact dates of the construction and the bridge builders, whom the railroad had contracted the project to, would be much useful  to solve the mystery of the Chaska Swing Bridge. If you have any information, please contact him using this e-mail address:

 johnmarvig@chaska.net

You can also view the information that has been collected and used so far by clicking here.  More information on other bridges in the Twin Cities to come soon on the Chronicles.

Newsflyer 24 June, 2013

Saale-Elster Viaduct in Halle (Saale) during its construction. Photo taken in June 2011

 

Longest railroad viaduct in Germany completed; German Autobahn viaduct demolished; I-5 Bridge in Washington state reopened; conception of a truss bridge in Virginia;

A lot of activities went on this weekend involving several bridges in the US and Europe, but the biggest ones happened to occur in Germany, for while several historic bridges have fallen to progress, one made history even though it is not open to traffic just yet. Here are the headlines you need to know.

Saale-Elster Viaduct under construction. Photo taken in June 2011

Saale-Elster Viaduct near Halle (Saale) completed. To be used for rail traffic in 2016.

6.5 kilometers long- equivalent to over four miles.  20-30 meters tall, tall enough to ride over the waters of the Saale and White Elster Rivers even if the fields and roads are underwater. All concrete except for the steel through arch span spanning a 2.1 kilometer approach viaduct connecting Halle (Saale) and the main railline. Those are the features of the new Saale-Elster Viaduct, which was completed this past Saturday at a cost of over 800 million Euros, mostly financed by the federal government and the Die Bahn (German Railways). It is part of the multi-billion Euro project that has been ongoing since 1992 and features not only this bridge, but hundreds of other bridges and tunnels as the new ICE-train route will connect Leipzig and Halle with Nuremberg via Erfurt. When the bridge is open to traffic at the beginning of 2016, all trips between Berlin and Munich as well as Frankfurt (Main) and Dresden will be cut in half as the ICE trains are expected to travel up to 350 kmph (180 mph) to their destinations. The viaduct can be seen along the InterCity railline connecting Halle (Saale) and Jena just after crossing the historic Skopau Bridge spanning the Saale River south of the southernmost city in Saxony-Anhalt. This bridge is not only the longest railroad viaduct in Germany- even surpassing another ICE-Viaduct the Rombachtal Viaduct in eastern Hesse, which still holds the title as the second tallest in Germany. The bridge is the longest vehicular viaduct in Germany, surpassing the Motorway A6 viaduct near Neckarsulm in Baden- Wurttemberg.

 

The Skopau Railroad Bridge serving the IC Jena-Halle line and the Saale River bike trail. From here you can see the newly completed longest viaduct in Germany. Photo taken in June 2011

The Rombachtal Viaduct in eastern Hesse spanning the Rombach and the Eisenach- Kassel railline carrying the Frankfurt-Hamburg ICE line between Fulda and Kassel. Photo taken in May 2010

 

Autobahn Motorway viaduct near Fulda demolished.

Heading 230 kilometers to the southwest to northwestern Bavaria, another viaduct made the headlines but in a different way. Located in Bad Bruckenau in the district of Bad Kissingen, east of Frankfurt (Main), the Sinnetal Viaduct made headlines for the 46 year-old viaduct made of steel and concrete was imploded on Saturday. As many as 8,000 spectators watched in awe as explosives installed in the concrete columns were detonated, and the entire structure fell 100 meters to the ground in four seconds. Built in 1967 to serve the longest and most heavily traveled Autobahn A7 connecting Flensburg and Austria, the 800 meter long bridge became the poster boy of how concrete bridges were treated, with salt and other substances that penetrated the concrete and steel causing rust and erosion, and with heavily travelled vehicles, some of which went over the weight and height limit. Already in 2009, construction had started on its replacement and was completed and opened to traffic at the beginning of this year. The demolition of the old bridge (shown here in this article) should serve as a reminder to state and federal agencies that even modern bridges require maintenance in order for them to last longer than 50 years. There’s no such thing as a bridge requiring no maintenance and lasting 100 years and the Sinnetal Bridge should serve as an example for agencies to rethink the way bridges are being handled by traffic.

The Magodee Bridge (old) being lifted by crane. Photo taken by Donald Sowers, used with permission

Truss bridge replaced with another truss bridge. Old bridge to be reused.

Sometimes it is not necessary to replace truss bridges with concrete bridges, but with another truss bridge. Such trends have been reported in states, like Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Virginia, for they are conventional and the aesthetics match the scenery than a white bland bridge. But for this bridge, the Magodee Bridge in Franklin County, Virginia, it may set a new trend for other historic bridges receiving new life. The 1929 Warren pony truss was replaced recently with- another Warren pony truss! The length is almost identical and both have riveted connections! The difference? The new pony truss bridge is now used for vehicular traffic, while the old pony truss span, now located behind the old mill, as seen in the pics courtesy of Donald Sowers, will receive new life as a pedestrian bridge located only a few hundred meters from the existing structure! Wouldn’t you like to have an old bridge and a new nearly identical span located not far from each other being used as a tourist trap? For the owner of the mill and the old bridge, the dream will become a reality. For more information on how to make the reality come true, please contact Mr. Sowers at this e-mail address: desowers@centurylink.net.

The new Magodee Bridge with the old span behind the mill. Photo taken by Donald Sowers, used with permission

I-5 Washington Bridge reopens but on restrictions

Nearly a month after the spectactular collapse of the Skagit River Interstate 5 Bridge in Washington state, the collapsed portion of the bridge was rebuilt, using Bailey trusses, and the bridge was reopened to traffic on Friday. But there are several exceptions: No oversized trucks and vehicles requiring special permits will be allowed to use the bridge and will be forced to take the detours that have been used since the collapse. The speed limit has been reduced to 40 mph instead of 60 as enforced before the accident. And the spans are only temporary as the state and federal governments are planning a more permanent crossing, although it is unclear whether the temporary span will be rebuilt as a permanent span or if the entire bridge itself, built in 1956 featuring a Warren through truss design, will be demolished in favor of a newer and even wider bridge. The Chronicles will keep you up to date on the developments regarding the bridge.

29 new bridges in 19 kilometers along the German Autobahn 9!

Built in 1936, the German Autobahn Motorway 9, connecting Berlin and Munich is known as the oldest freeway in Germany, and one of the oldest freeways in the world with many historic markers, including the oldest motorway inn Rodatal in Thuringia, the Vockeroda Bridge and neon marker in Saxony-Anhalt, the Hirschberg Restaurant, one of only two located over the motorway in Germany, and the Bridge of German Unity located at the Bavaria-Thuringia border which also served as the border crossing between East and West Germany. Since 1990 the 530 kilometer (330 mile) route was expanded from four lanes with no emergency lanes to six lanes with emergency lanes to provide safety and efficiency along the highway. This includes the replacement of bridges and overpasses dating as far back as 1936. At the present time, construction is commencing on the last bottleneck between Triptis in Thuringia and the Bavarian border- a span of 20 kilometers. With that, the last of the 1936 bridges and overpassees are coming down for they no longer are able to accomodate the increase in traffic. This includes 18 overpasses and the expansion of the border bridge, built in 1966 replacing the 1936 structure that was destroyed in World War II. Overall, there will be 29 new bridges with modern but attractive appearances when the project is finished in 2014. This includes the railroad bridge connecting the rail line between Schleiz and Ziegenrück on the Saale River. Out of service since 1990, there is hope that funding is available to build a new bridge and connect the two villages by train. At the moment, a dandyhorse rail service is being used by tourists, but once the railroad overpass is completed and the line reopened, the area will become a magnet for tourists again.

Ohio Covered Bridge Destroyed by Arson- Arsonist being sought

 

 

 

 

 

Newsflyer

Spanning Raccoon Creek on Covered Bridge, four miles southwest of Wilkesville in Vinton County, the Ponn Humpback Covered Bridge was one of the biggest tourist attractions of the six covered bridges. At 180 feet, the multiple-span kingpost truss bridge was the longest that existed in the county, built in 1874 by Martin McGrath and Lyman Wells and was bypassed by a pony truss bridge built in 2008, with the historic structure being converted into a pedestrian trail. Now the bridge is nothing but a memory.

Vinton County officials are looking for information and leads that will eventually result in the arrest and conviction of person(s) responsible for a fire, which destroyed the entire structure on 6 June. The reward is set at up to $5000.  According to county officials, the incident ocurred during the morning hours and the structure burned to the ground. The bridge, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is considered a total loss. It is unknown whether the bridge will be rebuilt or not, but county and state officials will look into those options.

Prior to the arson, suspicion of parties involving alcohol and campfires had been reported by many passers-by which included litter and beer cans. It was a question of time before a fire caught the covered bridge and brought it down. That day unfortunately came and now the county is grieving over the loss of an important structure which many people visited while passing through Vinton County.  This is the second fire this year that destroyed a historic bridge. A fire at a wooden viaduct in Texas last month destroyed the entire structure (a video can be found here).

If you have any information useful to the case, please contact the Vinton County Sheriff’s Office at: 740-592-5242    or the Ohio State Fire Marshal (which is overseeing the case) at: 1-800-579-2728    The Bridgehunter’s Chronicles will keep you posted on the latest involving the bridge.

Links to the bridge can be found through the Bridgehunter website by clicking on here.

Doug Chapman and Bill Eichenberger have provided some pictures of the bridge before and after the fire, which you can see here:

The Bridge before a pony truss bridge was built alongside it. Photo taken by Bill Eichenberger

The Humpback Bridge (right) and the truss bridge built in 2008 (left)  Photos taken by Doug Chapman

The bridge after the fire with the reward for arson sign.

K-Truss Bridge

Before I go into the topic on K-truss bridges, the second of many to come in a series on unusual bridge designs, I would like to tell you how I managed to come across this bridge, located over the Monongahela River near the town of Speers in western Pennsylvania. I did a paper on this subject during my time of my Master’s studies at the University of Jena in eastern Germany and sent out a request on the topic of K-truss bridges to the Bridge Mafia, as Eric DeLony coined it- a group of hundreds of bridge experts with a vast knowledge of bridges, history and preservation.  Already I knew of the number of K-trusses that existed in Oklahoma, according to Wes Kinser’s website on Oklahoma’s historic truss bridges. Yet I did not know that there was a bridge like this, built in the 1920s carrying the Wabash-Erie Railroad. Given its proximity to the I-70 Belle Vernon Bridge located right next to it, combined with many problems trying to get to the bridge for the best shot, I took the chance and hugged the pier of the I-70 Bridge, sliding and creeping around with my body literally glued to it and with almost no space to turn around. Fellow pontists Nathan Holth and Luke Gordon, who were bridgehunting with me at that time, were at the scene and the photos speak for themselves.

The following two photos were taken by Nathan Holth

Arriving at Destination: Ready, set, snap!

 

According to Kara Russell at PennDOT, this bridge is the only one left in the state, and one of only a couple left in the country, whereas the K-truss bridges seen on the roadways in the country are solely through trusses. But what makes a K-truss so unique?  It is clear that the truss type is a cross between a Parker and a Pennsylvania petit but feature two subdivided diagonal beams per panel that meet at the center of the vertical beam, featuring the letter “K” in the alphabet. There are two types of K-trusses that exist: one that features the subdivided beams going outwards away from the center of the span, creating a rhombus shape at the center of the span, as seen in the bridge at Speers. Yet the other type features subdivided beams going inwards, towards the center of the span, creating the letter “X”.  This truss design is one of three that feature diagonal beams resembling a letter in an alphabet. The other two are the Warren (with the W-shape) and the Howe lattice or double-intersecting Warren, which feature the letter X. Technically, a two-panel Warren truss design, resembling the letter V also counts in the mix.

Close-up oblique view of the K-truss as seen with the Speers Railroad Bridge. Note, like the bridges in Oklahoma and Tennessee, the connections on this bridge are riveted.

 

Example of the first type of K-truss that exists, except the Speers Bridge has a sub-divided Rhombus shape

 

Little is known about the K-truss bridge design except to mention that it was invented by Phelps Johnson of the Dominion Bridge Company in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. According to information collected to date, the K-truss came into existence in the United States during the age of Standardization in the 1920s. During that time, fancier but structurally deficient truss designs, such as the Thacher, Kellogg and Whipple trusses, were either phased out or modified with heavier truss beams and riveted connections with the goal of handling heavier volumes of traffic. Apart from the bridge near Speers, Tennessee and Louisiana were the first two states that introduced and built K-trusses in the 1920s and 30s.  Oklahoma began to adopt this truss design in the mid-1930s but its construction reached its peak during the 1940s and 50s.  As many as 54 of these K-truss bridges were reportedly built in that state during that time period, three out of four of which are still standing today, making it the state with the highest number of K-trusses. Bridges featuring the K-truss include:

Washita Bridge in Johnston County

Salt Creek Bridge in Osage County

Ralston Bridge

Alaska is the youngest state to implement the usage of K-trusses, as five bridges were built along the two main highways (Parks and Richardson) with the longest being a three-span 1300-foot bridge near Nenana (the main span being 500 feet).  Each of the five bridges were built between 1966 and 68 and are still in use.  And lastly, K-trusses were used on cantilever truss spans, including the Savanna-Sabula Bridge spanning the Mississippi River between Iowa and Illinois. Built in 1932 by the Minneapolis Bridge Company, the Sab-Sav served traffic until a replacement bridge, a through arch built alongside the structure, was opened to traffic in 2017. On March 8, 2018, the old bridge was demolished.

The Sab-Sav Bridge before its replacement came along. Photo taken in January 2015.

Even though Phelps Johnson invented the K-truss, it is unknown when he first used it, for although the first of these trusses were built in the 1920s and 30s, there are reports that K-trusses existes in Europe as well. Two bridges in Germany carry the same truss design and appear to be either as old as the earliest of these truss bridges in the US, if not older. This includes the Rhine River crossing near Mainz at the junction of the Main and Rhine Rivers. The other is a railroad bridge in Passau, spanning the Danube River, connecting the town with an industrial district in Austria. Both bridges carry rail traffic but the Mainz crossing is one of the heaviest used bridges in the greater Frankfurt area, for it serves regional and long distance train services connecting Mainz and Wiesbaden with Frankfurt and its international airport. It is possible that both bridges may have been built after World War II replacing previous structures that were destroyed by Allied bombings. Yet given the pristine condition of the towering portal entries in Mainz combined with the wear and tear of the trusses, it is possible that both these bridges may have existed before the war and somewhat survived the war in tact.   Ironically, while K-truss bridges are no longer being built in the US, they are still being used in Europe and elsewhere as an alternative to more expensive bridge types, such as arch and suspension bridges. This includes the Novi Sad Bridge in Serbia (built in 2000), The Tamur River Bridge in Dharan in Nepal (built in the 1980s), and The Ganga River Bridge in Patna, India (currently being built).

This takes us back to the deck truss railroad bridge near Speers, which is still being used for rail traffic even as this is being posted. While Phelps Johnson invented the truss bridge design, questions remain when the first bridge was built using the design and where. It is impossible to invent the truss type during the time he was alive (he was born in 1849) and not use it, like the other engineers had done with theirs, including the Thacher Truss as seen in the article here.  It is possible that despite a handful of bridges being built in his time that the truss bridge design was shelved for a few decades before being rediscovered and modernized during the age of Standardization in the 1920s, in which it made its comeback through the 1960s before jumping overseas. But more information is needed to answer the questions, mainly:

1. When exactly did Phelps Johnson invent the K-truss bridge? When and where was it first used?

2. When was the K-truss rediscovered and used again during the age of Standardization? (Note: pending on which state, the age started around 1915 and lasted until World War II)

3. Apart from the ones in the United States, where else have K-trusses been used in Europe, Asia and elsewhere and why are they used more commonly there?

4. What do we know about Phelps Johnson and his work as engineer and bridge builder? He had worked for the Wrought Iron Bridge Company prior to taking the presidency at the Dominion Bridge Company.

Any information pertaining to the K-truss can be submitted via e-mail, but also through facebook and LinkedIn. Who knows how many more K-trusses are/were out there but we do know that they were and are still popular for bridge construction. It is just a matter of finding out when it was used and why the design was on hiatus. Good luck with the research and that stunt I told you about: Don’t do this at home. We’re die hard professionals that have a passion for finding the truth and beauty behind these artifacts, no matter what the cost…

Photo taken from the pier of the Belle Vernon I-70 Bridge in Speers

It was a good thing that Nathan Holth (pictured here) still had photos of my daring act and sent me a few to be used in the article (I’d had a couple from him earlier that disappeared with an old computer that crashed after the Historic Bridge Weekend in Pittsburgh) and would like to thank him for providing me with the spares to be used and saved for story-telling purposes. 

Another round of thanks goes to the Bridge Mafia for their help in obtaining the K-truss info so far and to Kara Russell at PennDOT for mentioning the Speers Bridge.

 

2013 SIA Conference in Minneapolis/St. Paul

Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis. All photos courtesy of Amy Squitieri

 

Author’s note: There are a lot of unique features that make the Twin Cities in Minnesota worth visiting. One of those has to do with the bridges. Regardless of type, hundreds of them can be seen while travelling through the area by car, boat or even by walking, dating as far back as 1884 with the Stone Arch Bridge, the Merriam Street Bridge built at the Broadway Avenue crossing site in 1887 before saving and relocating one of the spans to its present, or even the arch bridges that have been spanning the Mississippi River for over 80 years.  This year’s Society for Industrial Archeology Conference took place in Minneapolis and St. Paul. And as the author could not make it because of time commitments, another colleague and fellow pontist Amy Squitieri, who works at Mead & Hunt located in Minneapolis, Madison (WI) and Austin (TX), was there and was happy to provide you as the reader with the highlights of the three-day event that took place May 30- June 2. Here are the highlights and photos, all of which speak for themselves. Enjoy!

From Amy Squitieri:

Bridge enthusiasts came in force to the SIA Annual Conference in St. Paul.  Friday’s sold-out bridge tour, Mighty Mississippi: A Twin Cities Riverboat Cruise with the Expert, was organized by Bob Frame of Mead & Hunt, which co-sponsored the tour in partnership with the Historic Bridge Foundation. Tour guides included historians with expertise in bridges and the Mississippi River, bridge engineers, and the Dispatcher with Upper River Services, a barge operating service.

Our first stop during the brief land-based portion of the tour was the Seventh Street Improvement Arches (1884) in St. Paul, one of the few helicoidal stone arches in the United States. As participants gathered to take pictures (see photo), State Bridge Engineer Nancy Daubenberger welcomed us to the bridge tour and to this ASCE National Historic Engineering Landmark, one of only three in Minnesota.

Arriving at St. Anthony Falls, we left the bus and walked across the deck of the 1883 Stone Arch Railroad Bridge, the second ASCE National Historic Engineering Landmark and now a major trail crossing (photo of participants gathered mid-span for an introduction to the Mighty Mississippi). The 2,100-foot, 23-arch bridge includes a six-degree curve (photo as seen from the deck of our Mississippi riverboat, the Magnolia Blossom).

The riverboat tour began at the top of the lock chamber and proceeded down river on a cruise for the remainder of the day, ending in downtown St. Paul. We observed historic bridges of the Twin Cities from the riverboat deck, cruising from the waterpower center of the Historic Minneapolis Mill District at the Falls of St. Anthony to the traditional head of navigation at St. Paul. A full tour description is here (http://www.siahq.org/conference/twincities/fridaytour1.html)

Highlights of the tour included the Cappelen Memorial (Franklin Ave.) features a 400-ft. main span—setting the world record for a concrete-arch span when the bridge was completed in 1923 (see photo).  This bridge is among an important group of large reinforced-concrete arch bridges that were built in the Twin Cities, particularly over the Mississippi, in the 1920s.

As we passed by the Omaha Railroad Swing Bridge (1915), the operator opened it for us (see photos of bridge opening). One participant noted that “operation of the swing bridge was a WAY COOL high point.”  Near the end in St. Paul, we saw the beautiful rainbow arch Robert Street Bridge (1924-25).

The program for Saturday featured the 23rd Historic Bridge Symposium with 13 speakers from as close as the Twin Cities and as far as Vermont and Texas. Represented were cultural resource professionals at State DOTs, consultants, reps of Army National Guard and National Park Service, advocates and enthusiasts. The audience ranged from about 25 to max of 50 during the day-long symposium.

The Historic Bridge Foundation sponsored the symposium and director Kitty Henderson served as moderator. Speakers and topics, with quick highlights, were as follows:
Session 3A
Michael Krakower, “Restoration of the Oaklawn Concrete Bridge” – Early reinforced arch and only bridge by renowned architects Greene & Greene
Deborah Baldwin Van Steen, “History vs. Technology: Emergency Repairs to the Route 33 Bridge, Hightstown, New Jersey” – Bridge washed out in flood and was restored with modified railings to meet current safety guidelines
Christopher H. Marston, “Salvation, Documentation, and Reconstruction of the Moose Brook Bridge Howe Truss” – A wood bridge burned and was carefully rebuilt with lessons about timber strength and craftsmanship
Session 3B
Scott Newman, “Historic Bridge Projects: A Preservation Reality Check” – Shared several recent VT rehab projects including the famous Checkered House Bridge, a widened truss.
Katherine Haun, “Bridge Engineering from the Bottom Up: Substructure Matters on the Red River of the North” – A fascinating look at how the abutments and bearings were designed to accommodate sinking soils
Raina Regan, “The Bailey Bridge: Misconceptions in Identification, Significance, and Preservation” – Her detailed research has shown that extant US “Bailey Bridges” post-date World War II
Session 3C
Rebecca Burrow, “How to Date a Bridge: Case Studies on Steel Truss Design”
Nathan Holth, “Creative Bridge Building in Early 20th Century Chicago”
Mark M. Brown, “Bridges of the Recent Past: Three Texas Case Studies” – Entertaining!
Session 3D
Gary W. Houston, “Two Lessons for Historic Urban Bridge Protection Offered by San Antonio’s Hays Street Bridge” – Lesson 1: Public art shouldn’t be forced onto a historic bridge; Lesson 2: Public bridges are for public users, not private concessionaires
Amy Squitieri and Kristen Zschomler, “Minnesota’s Bridges: Lessons Learned and Current Best Practices” – We shared recent rehab projects with a focus on common challenges of railings, rivets, stone/concrete repair techniques, adequate width and capacity
Justin M. Spivey, “Crowd-Sourcing Historic Bridge Research” – You can find out a lot on the web, some good and other info is more suspect

Session abstracts and speaker bios are available here;

Click to access SIA2013PaperPresentations.pdf

On a personal note, it was a great pleasure to see my colleague at Mead & Hunt, Bob Frame, receive SIA’s most prestigious honor, the General Tools Award, for his lifetime contributions to industrial archeology. As one of the leading historic bridge experts in the country, Bob conducts research, completes evaluations and documentation, and leads historic bridge assessments.  He has contributed to eight statewide historic bridge surveys. Details about Bob’s accomplishment are included in a blog post (http://www.meadhunt.com/insights/historic-preservation/frame/)

Bridge fans should make plans to attend next year’s SIA conference in Portland, Maine, and the 24th Historic Bridge Symposium. The conference is tentatively scheduled for mid- or late-May. Updates will be provided on the SIA website http://www.siahq.org/conference/SIAconf.html

 

Author’s Note: Some of the bridges mentioned here will be profiled separately in the future as there are some interesting stories that went along with them and how they were preserved. The Chronicles will do an interview with Bob Frame as well, for he devoted over 40 years to historic bridge preservation, including publishing inventories on historic bridges in Minnesota, the oldest version of which I still have in my possession and have been using to track down the history of the bridges in Minnesota.

Another colleague, Kaitlin O’shea of Preservation in Pink, was also there and provided highlights of the Conference from a preservationists point of view. You can see the article with pictures here.

Special thanks to Amy Squitieri for her help in providing us with information and photos of the event, the latter of which can be seen below:

 

Photos:

Robert Street Bridge in St. Paul

Side view of the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis

Cappelen Memorial Bridge in Minneapolis

Seventh Street Arch Improvements in St. Paul

Railroad Swing Bridge in a closed position….

….and in an open position

Walking across the Stone Arch Bridge

Fire damages Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado

Photo taken by Hustvedt; available through: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Royal_Gorge_Bridge_2010.jpg

 

Bridgehunter’s Chronicles Newsflyer:  12 June, 2013

Spanning the Arkansas River near Canon City, the Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge still represents one of the best kept secrets as far as its historic significance is concerned. Built in 1929 with the main span of 880 feet and a total length of 1280 feet, its height over the Arkansas River has yet to be broken in the US- 965 feet to be exact. It had held the world record until the Millau Viaduct in France opened in 2004 and is still the fourth highest bridge in the world. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and has been a place where stunts took place, whether it was bungee jumping or flying over and under the bridge, even though some of the stunts were fatal. A park was built surrounding the bridge where tourists can enjoy not only the bridge but its splendid view.

Now the bridge and the surrounding faciulities are facing a pains-taking task of rebuilding after a brush fire swept through the region yesterday, destroying at least three buildings at the park and causing damage to the decking of the unique suspension bridge. The fire was caused by lighting combined with dry conditions and has spread to include 3800 acres, marching its way toward Canon City. Thousands of people have already been vacuated and work has now focused on containment of the fire. Links to the fire can be found at the end of this article.  According to officials, the suspension bridge is still in tact, which may be a blessing, given the rehabilitation done on the bridge in 1983, which featured new suspension cables and reinforcing the decking. There is hope that the suspension bridge itself, if it survives the fire, will be repaired and reopened to pedestrian traffic in a short time. Yet the park and the buildings on both ends will need to be rebuilt as damage to both areas are substantial. The Chronicles will keep you posted on the latest on the Royal Gorge Bridge and the fire that seems to be out of control at the time of this posting. Thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the fire.

Links:

http://www.9news.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=340539

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Gorge_Bridge

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_23439879/royal-gorge-fire-swells-3-800-acres-spares

http://www.chieftain.com/news/region/fire-damages-historic-royal-gorge-bridge/article_cc6c0752-d31a-11e2-b963-0019bb2963f4.html

 

What to do with a HB: The McIntyre Bowstring Arch Bridge in Poweshiek County, Iowa

Photo courtesy of Julie Bowers

 

 

Poweshiek County rescinds grant and support for McIntyre Bowstring Arch Bridge. Bridge now for sale to be relocated.

Preserving historic bridges for future generations is not an easy task, given the amount of work needed to restore and maintain the structure. It is even a bigger challenge to rebuild the structure if it was damaged or destroyed by flooding, as we saw with the Sutliff Bridge in Johnson County, Iowa. But when things appear to go in the right direction, with bridge parts restored and ready to be put back over the river to be reopened and reused, the last thing a person needs is opposition to the project, whether it is rescinding a grant or even making a “behind the door” descision to force the cease and desisting of the project in favor of scrap metal.

Here in Poweshiek County, Iowa, this is exactly the case with the McIntyre Bowstring Arch Bridge. Built by the King Bridge Company in 1883, the bridge was washed away by floodwaters in 2010. In the past three years, Workin Bridges, with Julie Bowers as Executive Director, undertook a Herculean effort to fish the bridge out of the waters of the Skunk River, and reconstruct the bridge, piece by piece, straightening out the metal, replacing parts and having it ready to be put together like a set of Tinker Toys, as you can see in the picture below….

The original plan was to put the bridge on new piers, raised by two feet to clear floodwaters and have the county maintain the bridge for the next 20 years. This was supposed to be done using a grant provided by the state to cover the cost for the work- namely $140,000.  While the county supervisors had originally supported the plan, the most recent decision the county not to take the grant has basically put the last nails in the coffin as far as any efforts to save the McIntyre Bridge. Already the bridge was delisted from the National Register of Historic Places, considering the structure a total loss.  But this decision is one that has sent many people scratching their heads about this, and one that has put Workin Bridges at the crossroads as far as its future existence is concerned. From the author’s point of view, especially as he studied political science both in the US as well as in Germany, this form of lip service is very common for politicians and county officials will say one thing the first minute and then change its mind because of some factors that made them reconsider the decision.  There are many factors that may have led the county to change its mind.

For instance, the bridge collapse in Washington state caused by a truck driver disregarding the vertical clearance of the truss bridge has caused many counties to rethink the way through truss bridges are being used for traffic. Already a movement has started to dismantle the environmental and cultural impact surveys when replacing “sturcturally deficient” bridges in Washington state in response to the disaster (see articles enclosed here), which if successful, could spread throughout the country in the next five years, especially if the next president after Barack Obama is a Republican.

Photo taken by Julie Bowers

The other factor has to do with the flooding that has been going on so far this summer. As you can see in the picture, the Millgrove access was where the bridge used to be located prior to the flood in 2010. Yet flooding drowned the access making the county rather nervous about having a bridge over the river they have to maintain for 20 years. However, as one can see with the Great Flood of 2013 in Germany, Austria and parts of Europe, many of the bridges built similar to McIntyre have survived the onslaught of the floods with only concrete beam bridges being destroyed in the process. If McIntyre can be rebuilt on higher piers with steel that can withstand flooding, the bowstring arch bridge will last another 50-100 years, as seen with one of the bridges that survived the Great Flood in Germany.

Tivoli Island Bridge in Watertown, WI. Photo taken by the author in August 2010

Bridge for Sale:

With all the resources exhausted, the future of the McIntyre Bridge is in limbo. Workin Bridges wants to give the bridge away to someone who is willing to use it for recreational purposes. While some work and assembly is required, it would be a shame to throw away three years of efforts of restoring the bridge to look like the bridge in Watertown, Wisconsin at Tivoli Lake, or even to the form that it appeared before the flooding. There are many places that could use a bowstring arch bridge for a bike trail, picnic area or the like. FW Kent Park near Iowa City has a collection of nine restored truss and bowstring arch bridges that still serve a trail encircling a small lake.  It would be an excellent addition. But other regions in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota could use a bridge like this one for their projects as well. Minnesota has only one bowstring arch bridge left in the Kern Bridge near Mankato. South Dakota has none. And perhaps as soon as the bridge finds a new home, it can retain its National Register status if it is not altered beyond recognition.

If you know of a place where the bridge could be reused or are interested in the bridge, please click here to contact Julie Bowers and information will be provided as well as the conditions for reusing the bridge. We can only hope that the efforts to restore the bridge will not be in vain. The Chronicles will keep you posted on the latest regarding the future of McIntyre Bridge.

What to do with a HB: The Newcastle Bridge

View inside the bridge. Photo taken by Steve Conro, released into public domain through http://www.bridgehunter.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After taking a few day hiatus from the Chronicles to do coverage on the Great Flood of 2013 in Germany and Europe, which you can see through the sister column The Flensburg Files, the Chronicles is back with some news coverage to show you. This article takes us back to Oklahoma and the Newcastle Bridge, spanning the Canadian River running parallel to Interstate 44 west of Moore. As mentioned in the Newsflyer article, the 10-span Parker through truss bridge was built by the Missouri Valley Bridge Company in Kansas City in 1923, only to serve traffic for 40 years before it was made obsolete by the Interstate highway and was subsequentially closed to traffic in 1963. For 50 years, this bridge was sitting abandoned, only to be accessed by foot and with three different pipelines going across the bridge before the infamous category EF5 tornado, measuring 2.5 km wide- the largest ever recorded in US history- anihilated Moore, Newcastle, and two spans of this bridge!

Despite the remaining spans being in good condition, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation has started the task of tearing down the entire structure. The official reason behind it is because the bridge was too unsafe and is a liability to the state. Yet, given the track record of OKDOT, this scheme is part of the plan to repair or replace every structurally deficient bridge in the state within, as laid out by Governor Mary Fallin at the beginning of the year. Unfortunately, the majority of the bridges are like the Newcastle Bridge, even though the majority of the truss bridges in the state feature Parker and K-Trusses, the latter of which still represent the highest density in the region in the world. The demolition of the Newcastle Bridge has created an outcry among thousands of people, who are associated with the bridge and has been working on ways to keep what’s left of the bridge. Many have cited Oklahoma as the wrecking-ball-toting hater of steel bridges and have considered this act a crime against history. The decision to demolish the bridge is already in the visier for one of the Smith Awards to be given out in December of this year. Other awards, including the Wall of Shame by historicbridges.org are being considered, as well.

The good news is the southernmost span of the bridge will be spared demolition, even though many have claimed that more spans should have been saved. The City of Newcastle will assume full responsibility for the bridge.  While this may be a consolation for some, the question is what to do with that remaining span, once the whole process is completed. There are some talks according to the facebook website of converting the remaining span to an observation pier. Yet access to the bridge is difficult and the way the tornado flattened the area, there may not be much to see from the bridge. Another option is to relocate the bridge, either to be reused as a vehicular bridge on a minimum service road or as a memorial at a local park. The problem here would be location and cost factors. Granted the bridge would have to be taken apart and rehabilitated, like it happened with the Piano Bridge in Texas, but the biggest factor is where to relocate the structure, for much of the area in and around Oklahoma City is in ruins because of not only the tornado that destroyed all of Moore, but another one that occurred nine days later. Damage from the two is expected to top three billion dollars and it will take at least five years to rebuild the city.

There has been some consideration to list the bridge on the National Register of Historic Places, but apart from the fact that it would not hinder the demolition process, but also the chances of putting only one span onto the Register is very slim, for there are tough requirements which include having all 10 spans instead of only one to retain its historic form. Any type of alteration may compromise the historical integrity of the bridge.

But despite all of this, locals and pontists are taking the one span seriously and are with reservations thankful for keeping that particular span. Yet this is only half the battle, and the question that we have for the forum is the following:

What would you do with the lone span of the Newcastle Bridge?

a. Leave it in place and convert it into an observation deck

b. Relocate it and reuse it on a local road

c. Relocate it and reuse it on a bike trail

d. Relocate it to a park to be used as a memorial, etc.

e. Other options

You can leave your comments here, on the facebook pages entitled the Chronicles or send them via e-mail. You can also provide some suggestions and support to the Save the Canadian River Bridge group, which you can also find on facebook, when clicking here.