KUTZENHAUSEN-BUCH/ AUGSBURG- The Rothbrücke, located in the district of Augsburg in the community of Kutzenhausen has been in the news recently because of a rather interesting story that is making residents and Bavarians scratch their heads as to how this could happen. The 40-50 foot long beam bridge with concrete decking that spans a small creek has come under attack from an unlikely source, and it has caused the mayor to pursue measures to demolish and replace the bridge with haste. Beavers have been busy taking the bridge apart, piece by piece, where they have undermined the bridge’s abutments and wingwalls by digging several holes behind it, as well as along the shoreline surrounding it. The abutment supports the decking of the bridge, whereas the wingwalls allows water to flow freely under the bridge and keep the dirt back. The end result of the beaver’s work has been the area having several holes and tunnels at and behind the abutments, making it look like Swiss cheese, according to reports by the newspaper, Augsburger Allgemeine. The problem was first discovered in 2010, resulting in the weight limit of 3.5 tones being imposed on the bridge. But it was not enough for the beavers to widen their tunnel network and bring the bridge to a point of collapse. According to the mayor, Rupert Kugelbrey, the abutments are so undermined that the bridge could collapse at any moment. While the bridge has been closed off to all traffic including pedestrians since the end of February of this year, plans are now in the making to remove the bridge at the earliest possible convenience for safety reasons. Whether there will be a replacement for the 40+ year old bridge to follow remains open. But it has provided locals and pontists with some humor, as the beaver is being talked about among the social network community. And it is no wonder, for beavers have a potential to bring down trees and dam up streams, causing flooding. That they have the potential to destroy bridges by undermining important parts is something that is going to have engineers look at other ways to keep wild animals from destroying other bridges, regardless of age and materials used. For this beaver, it will have to find other bridges to undermine, once the Rothbrücke is removed, but not before receiving the Chronicles’ Author’s Choice Awards in the process, which will be presented next year.
Respect. 🙂
More on the bridge can be found here. A photo of the bridge and the damage done by the beaver can be found here.
Fehmarn Bridge in Germany. Used as the new logo for the Bridgehunter’s Chronicles. Photo taken in September 2014
Looking for the right gift for Christmas, or a calendar with bridges and scenery because you have not found one in stores yet? You are just in luck! 🙂
In time for the holiday season, the Bridgehunter’s Chronicles and its sister column the Flensburg Files have new items available to order and give to your friend or loved one. Click here in the Flensburg Bridgehunter Online Shop, and you will have an opportunity to buy a new 2015 calendar, mugs and coffee cups with their respective logos on there, Christmas ornaments and new at the shop, photos of bridges taken by the author with some interesting facts about them. The platform for the shop, Cafe Press, has some deals regarding shipping and other opportunities. Check out the shop by clicking here.
Proceeds will go to various bridge projects in the works. Among them include two books on bridges in Iowa, one in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, as well as a couple bridge preservation projects that are going on at the present time. If there is an item or photo that you would like to order but is not at the online shop, please let the author know and there are ways to get it to you as soon as possible. If you have any questions or want more information on the bridge projects, please him know as well.
The merchandise sold through Cafe Press feature a new logo. The old logo, depicting the Rendsburg High Bridge in Germany, will be phased out in favor of one featuring another German bridge. The Fehmarnsundbrücke (EN: Fehmarn Bridge) was built in 1963 and is the first bridge in the world to feature a basket-handle tied arch span. Connecting Fehmarn Island and Scandanavia with the rest of Germany and Europe via Migratory Bird Route, the future of the steel lady is in limbo for reasons to be mentioned in an article to be posted later in the fall. In support of the bridge, it is featured in the new logo that follows a pattern similar to the one featured in the Flensburg Files, but only with acronyms. You will see more of the new logo when articles are being presented in the near future, but not before giving the old iron lady of Rendsburg its proper send-off, as will be seen in the next article.
Reminder: The Chronicles is still taking on articles and information on the best example of a restored historic bridge as well as tour guides on regions with historically significant bridges. They will be nominated for this year’s Ammann Awards. More information can be found here.
At first, the bridge seems to be a typical steel arch bridge in a small Pennsylvania community of Brownsville, located approximately 40 miles south of Pittsburgh, along the Monogahela River. However, instead of tearing down the structure, as it has been described in a textbook fashion by PennDOT, this bridge is due to be rehabilitated.
So what’s so special about Dunlap’s Creek Bridge, an 80-foot long bridge that reminds the author of the Blackfriar’s Road Bridge in London?
The bridge is definitely older than Blackfriar’s Road Bridge. It was built in 1869 and still serves traffic over the River Thames.
This bridge was built much earlier- 1839, to be exact!
Dunlap was the product of Captain Richard Delafield, the person who designed the bridge. The bridge consists of a Howe Lattice deck arch bridge, made of cast iron that was manufactured by Herbertson Foundry in town. Keys and Searight were the contractors for the bridge. The bridge was built 60 years after the first cast iron bridge in the world was constructed at Coalbrookdale, England, the structure that is still standing today. Yet Dunlap set the standard for the following developments:
1. The bridge set the standard for the introduction of the Howe Truss, designed and patented by William Howe in 1840, one year later. It is possible that Howe either influenced Delafield into using this design or used this bridge as a reference for his design.
2. The bridge was used as references for other arch bridges of this fashion, for hundreds of bridges of this type were used for crossings, big and small, in the US and Europe, built between the 1850s and 1900, a fraction of which are still standing today.
HABS HAER
The bridge is the first one to be built in the USA, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978 and is one of 76 bridges honored internationally for its unique design and historic significance. Now the 1839 bridge, which took three years to build and is the fourth crossing at this site, is scheduled to be rehabilitated. Plans are in the making to strengthen the arches, replace the roadway, and there is a possibility that the encasement installed in the 1920s will be removed, exposing the covered half of the cast iron arch. No details of how the bridge will exactly be restored, but PennDOT is looking at the restoration cost of up to $3.7 million, according to a report from the Post Gazette in Pittsburgh. The plan is to make it more attractive for tourists once the project is completed.
Builder’s plaque. Photo taken by James Baughn
A link with all the information about the bridge and its history can be found here. The Chronicles will keep you updated on the project as it comes.
The author and Galloping Gertie on the road. Shot of the Flutmulde Bridge at Sachsenburg, Thuringia. Photo taken in August 2014
Co-produced with sister column:
In the past few weeks, three out of four of us have been nominated for the Ice-Bucket Challenge, whereby of the 75%, four out of five of us have actually done this challenge, either by donating $100 or dumping the bucket of ice water on our heads and donating an amount of our choice to the cause, which is fighting ALS. This disease, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, disables the nerves and spinal area in the body, affecting the person’s motor skills.
The disease was named after the famous New York Yankees baseball star, who retired 75 years ago after being diagnosed with the disease and died less than two years later. He was the player famous for his comment: “Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”
The idea of the bucket challenge came from Bill Gates and has received mixed reviews from those willing to present themselves doing this rather absurd act on social network and those who think society has become dumber by doing this. Personally, it would not be my cup of tea, as there are other crippling diseases that are just as deadly as ALS. This includes Multiple Sclerosis, a degenerative muscular disease that kills a person just as tortuously as this one. This is speaking from the experience after losing a close relative and two friends to this disease. And even if there was a bucket challenge for MS, I would go for the $100 donation instead of suffering from hypothermia thanks to a large bucket of ice cold water. Sorry people.
But the ice bucket challenge presented a brilliant idea for another fundraiser- the bike challenge. With the increase in popularity of bikes and the proliferation of bike trails both in the US and in Europe, why not use the bicycle as the challenge for raising funds?
The idea is simple.
One can challenge someone to bike a certain amount of kilometers and donate an amount of choice. Yet if he/she refuses, then a fixed amount would have to be donated, just like in the ice bucket challenge. The person would have to provide photos and tracking information to prove that the kms were biked and pass the challenge to others who are either avid bike fans or are willing to take up the challenge.
For example: If I was challenged to bike 50 km in one day, I would pick and choose a route that is bike friendly, like the bike trail along the Unstrut River in Thuringia between Erfurt and Artern, for example. Then I would provide a tracker and some photos, and after doing so, would challenge my next three compatriots to do the same. The amount donated can be based on whether I fulfill the challenge (which would be a fixed amount in my favor) or if I pass and have to donate based on what was fixed by the organizer, as Bill Gates did with his ALS Challenge. By the way, I did take the challenge a couple weeks ago, as you can see in the pics here.
A railroad bridge converted to a bike trail crossing at Artern.
Such a bike challenge is useful for not only fundraising drives to combat diseases, like MS or cancer. Yet it can be useful for projects to restore historic places, like bridges, churches and houses, and other causes. For grassroots groups seeking fund-raising posibilities, this challenge is healthy, affordable and provides a challenge to those who would take advantage of the great outdoors and provide a sense of personal achievement, instead of making a total fool out of him/herself by dumping a bucket of ice water over the head, risking a heart attack, hypothermia and other health issues. Furthermore, as you can see in my challenge, you can discover many new sights based on your interest (and the interest of others)
So if you are one of those groups seeking fund-raising possibilities and would like to challenge people, this is one worth considering. It runs parallel to the ice-bucket challenge, but it is a lot more interesting, fun, healthier and even safer than the other challenge. And even if you decide for another challenge- like a friend of mine from Minnesota did and thought of a creative way to challenge others to buy extra products to be donated to a local food shelter- it is much more beneficial than to be soaked in ice cold water, especially now, as my instincts are telling me that winter is coming much sooner than expected. It is already cold and fall-like, with snow already falling in Rapid City, South Dakota– not typical of September weather and something where the ice bucket challenge is not a good idea to begin with. 😉
Author’s note: The Bridges of Unstruttal will be featured later in the fall/ winter, as the author has yet to complete the second half of the leg from Artern to Naumburg. In the meantime, enjoy the preview of what is yet to come.
Carl-Alexander-Brücke in Dornburg, one of many bridges featured in this year’s Tag des offenen Denkmals. Photo taken in August
Tag des offenen Denkmals to take place on 14 September.
Every year in September, Germany hosts the “Tag des offenen Denkmals,” an all-day event taking place on a Sunday, where millions of visitors spend the day touring churches, museums, places of historic and natural interest and even city parks, whose history dates back hundreds of years. The visitors can also enjoy the historic bridges while they are at it. While the number of historic bridges at this open house is limited, tourists can take in a guided tour of the structures, learning about their history and in one case, how the bridges function as caterer of all forms of traffic that carries people and goods from point A to point B. In the case of one historic bridge that has been abandoned for many years, the heritage days can serve as a platform for a campaign to restore and reuse it for other purposes.
As many as a dozen of Germany’s bridges are listed as having tour guides and other events taking place this Sunday. The Chronicles has a list of a few of them people can expect to see during this 18th annual event. For instance:
Liesenbrücke in Berlin: This two-span railroad bridge passes over the roundabout, where four streets and three cemetaries meet in the Berlin suburb of Gesundbrunnen. Built in the 19th century and surviving World War II and the Cold War, the truss design of this bridge is similar to the Railroad Bridge spanning the Danube at Linz, Austria- a curved Whipple with riveted connections. Once serving a rail line connecting Berlin and Stettin in Poland and later, light rail (German: S-Bahn), the bridge has been abandoned since 1990, but preservationists and those associated with the bridge are fighting to see the bridge reused for bike traffic. A presentation on the bridge will take place at 4:00pm on the Tag des offenen Denkmals with some information available on how to support the efforts in saving the structure. More information online by clicking here.
Drususbrücke at Bingen (Rhein):Touted as the oldest stone arch bridge remaining along the Rhine corridor between Frankfurt and Cologne, this 11th century stone arch bridge is located over the Nahe just before its confluence with the Rhine River. It was named after Drusus, the Roman who led his troops to the region at the time of Roman expansion and may have been the person engineering the first crossing near Bingen. The stone arch bridge has survived several wars, having been restored three times- the last time in 1952. One can see the bridge during the Tag des offenen Denkmals between 10am and 4pm, obtaining information about the bridge’s history on site. Yet do not forget to stay in the evening for some night photos. More information here.
Tauberrettersheim: Located northwest of Rothenburg ob der Tauber along the Tauber River in Bavaria, the stone arch bridge was the work of Balthasar Naumann, built in 1733 and featuring five arches. The bridge was rebuilt in 1947 and still serves its function like it did in the past- the gateway to the town famous for its Barocke architecture and arts and crafts. The bridge is part of the festival where several stands featuring locally handmade goods on this day. More information can be found here.
Autobahnmeisterei and Bridge at Erkner: Located along the Berliner Ring (Motorway Rte. 10) in Erkner, southeast of Berlin, the Meisterei features a mechanic shop for automobiles, an administration office responsible for the upkeep of the motorway and a silo with a gallery of photos, artefacts and other information pertaining to the Autobahn system in Berlin and Germany. Also featured is the remains of the deck girder bridge that had once carried Motorway Rte. 10 and was built in 1942, the same time as the Meisterei. Upon its replacement in 1996, a section was placed on the lawn of the Meisterei as a monument, and together with the building complex itself, has been restored for the public to see. More information on the open house and its history can be found here.
Carl-Alexander-Bridge in Dornburg: Spanning the Saale River near Dornburg, 10 kilometers north of Jena in eastern Thuringia, the three-span riveted Parker through truss bridge was built in 1892 to replace a 14th century covered bridge destroyed in the flooding. Since 2000, the bridge has been reduced to just bike and pedestrian traffic, but is structurally in dire straits. Since 2006, the preservation organization has been raising funds to refit the bridge to make it safer and more family friendly. The festivities on the Tag des offenen Denkmals will rake in more visitors and funding possibilities in hopes that enough money is raised in order to start with the rehabilitation work next year. More on the events on this day, which features breakfast and jazz music, a presentation and tour of the bridge and a tour of the Dornburg castle can be found here. As Jena will be featured in the Chronicles’ bridge tour, more on this bridge will come soon.
Rendsburg High Bridge: Spanning the Baltic-North Sea Canal, the 1913 bridge complex features a north loop approach span and the main span- a cantilever Warren through truss rail span carrying rail service between Flensburg and Hamburg and underneath, a transporter span carrying vehicles and people across the canal. The masterpiece of Friedrich Voss has been considered a national landmark since 1988 and a guided tour will be provided to talk more about the bridge. Two tours will take place in the afternoon at the bridge terasse on the Rendsburg side of the crossing. More information available here.
Oschütztal Viaduct in Weida: Built in 1884, the Town lattice deck truss viaduct has a length of 185 meters and is 28 meters high above the ground. The landmark of Weida, which can be seen from the east entrance of the city as well as from the train station 1 km to the west, was the work of Claus Köpcke and Hans Manfred Krüger, who later built the Blue Wonder Bridge in Dresden. The bridge served rail traffic in eastern and southern Thuringia, connecting Weida with Gera in the north, Saalfeld in the southwest and Plauen to the southeast. It was closed to traffic in 1984 and has been sitting unused ever since. The organization is looking at renovating the bridge for reuse either as a tourist railroad attraction or for bike and pedestrian use. In connection with its 130th birthday, a guided tour and other festivities are being planned for that day. More details here. The Chronicles will feature more information on the plans for this bridge when they come.
If you want more information on other places you can see while travelling through Germany this weekend, please check out the link, where all the places of interest are having their open houses. There, you will find all the information you need on the events taking place and when. The link is right here.
This year’s event has more bridges than in year’s past, and this in its 18th year. This leads to the question of other bridges that should have open houses on this day so that tourists can visit them. If you know of one or more particular bridges that should be considered for future Tag des offenen Denkmals, place your comments here as well as in the Chronicles’ facebook page and your reasons why.
Schonemann Park Bridge south of Luverne, MN. The state’s only Waddell pony truss bridge that has been a centerpiece of the park since 1990. Photo taken in August 2014
While the 2014 Othmar H. Ammann Awards are only a couple months away, the Bridgehunter’s Chronicles is already taking entries for two categories: The City Tour Award and Best Example of a Restored Historic Bridge. The reasons are twofold:
1. 2014 has been a year of record number of historic bridges being restored in the United States, both in terms of covered bridges and bridges made of concrete and metal that are more than 50 years old- a reversal of the trend from 2013, where several key historic bridges were lost to demolition or severely damaged by overweight trucks and arson.
While some of the examples posted in the last half year can be seen on the Chronicles’ facebook and twitter pages, the Chronicles would like to look at how the bridges were restored and the efforts that were undertaken by the public to have their historic symbol of their communities restored. A page on Best Preservation Examples is already on the Chronicles’ page with an opportunity for you to contribute.
2. The City Tour category was introduced last year, being spun out from the Best Kept Secret Award and features cities and regions with a cluster of historic bridges that exist, ranging from villages, such as Bertram, Iowa, to parks like the Historic Bridge Park in Michigan, to cities, like Lubeck and Halle in Germany. This category was well received to a point where it will be introduced again this year, but will go even further. The Chronicles is featuring a page on Bridge Tours and Lost Bridges, where you have an opportunity to look at the bridges you can expect to see when visiting the regions. A handful of cities and regions have already been posted (you can click here), and we would like to expand it based on your contributions.
Here is your opportunity to contribute as a guest writer or interviewee for both categories. If you either:
Have a historic bridge that has recently been restored or is currently undergoing a rehabilitation process or
Know of a city, county/district or region that has more than four bridges that are more than 60 years of age and have some historical significance or
Know of a region that was once populated with historic bridges but has now dwindled to one or two left,
Then provide a summary of 1-3 pages with information on the bridges or restoration project, as well as some photos of the bridges, to be sent to Jason Smith at the Chronicles at: flensburg.bridgehunter.av@googlemail.com.
It will then be showcased on the Bridgehunter’s Chronicles for reader to look at and perhaps use either as a reference for their own bridge restoration projects or an incentive to visit these regions. The examples will automatically be nominated for this year’s Ammann Awards, where the people will vote on in December and the winners will be announced in January.
Entries for this year’s Ammann Awards are due 30 November. Those coming in after that date will automatically be nominated for the 2015 Ammann Awards. The Chronicles will accept all entries in the United States, Canada, Europe and other regions for the Awards will be divided up into American and International categories.
Please ensure that each photo has a source so that it can be cited accordingly, either on the Chronicles page, the Chronicles’ flickr page or both. You may be contacted for an interview by the Chronicles with regards to the restoration project or additional information about the submitted bridges in the region. Please ensure that the contact information is made available so that the interview can be conducted as soon as possible. Announcements on the voting process will be made at the close of the submissions on 30 November. Any questions or clarifications needed can be submitted to the Chronicles.
By presenting examples of restored historic bridges as well as regions with a high number of historic bridges, people will be able to take the opportunity to have a look at the various success stories of preserved historic bridges while at the same marvel at the historic bridges that are characteristic of the regions, thus encouraging more people to visit and learn more about historic bridges. The Bridgehunter’s Chronicles is dedicated to educating the public about the importance of historic bridges and their contribution to the history of transportation, as well as ways to preserve them for generations to come. The goal is to preserve the past in the present for people in the future to see and learn about them.
Important Announcement: Entries for the other categories- Best Bridge Photo, Bridge of the Year, Mystery Bridge, Lifetime Achievement, Best Kept Secret (individual bridge), and the Author’s Choice Awards will be taken starting October 1st. More information will follow, but those interested in nominating their bridge(s) may want to have them prepared for submission to the Chronicles beforehand.
This is a blog about my project of visiting every bridge over the Genesee River and what I learned about the history, structure, and natural surroundings of each bridge.
The Bridgehunter's Chronicles 