virginia's historic bridges

Virginia’s Historic Bridges

Presented By: Nathan Holth

Copyright © 2017

Introduction: About Me

• Website created and maintained by me.

• Photos, Advocacy, & Documentation

• 32 States• 4 Canadian Provinces• 4475 Bridges Listed

Currently• 14 Years

• I work in the office and also handle historic bridge matters.

• Steel Fabricator• Restoration/Relocation

of Historic Bridges & • Hot Rivets

Bridge Structure Basics

The part of the bridge that spans the obstacle is the

superstructure. The part of the bridge that holds the

superstructure up is the substructure (piers and abutments)

Superstructure

Substructure

Pier Abutment

Abutment

The parts of a truss bridge experience forces in the form

of tension (stretching apart) and compression

(squeezing together). Engineers often picked different

types of materials and designs for the different parts of a

bridge based on these forces. An example is shown

above.

Truss Bridge Forces

Tension

Compression

Truss Configurations

Pratt

Warren

The two most common truss configurations are shown

above.

Truss Bridge Connections

The pieces of the framework of a truss bridge are held

together by connections, sometimes also called joints.

Most connections on historic bridges are either riveted or

pinned, but can also be bolted or welded.

Phoenix Columns

A special type of built-up wrought iron column. These

columns feature a circular shape to them. They were

generally used on pin-connected truss bridges, for

various members and bracing.

Phoenix Columns

Phoenix Columns were invented and patented by

Phoenix Iron Company of Phoenixville and Philadelphia,

and the related Phoenix Bridge Company built bridges

with them.

Phoenix Columns

Drawings from

a company

catalogue

show the rolled

sections for

Phoenix

Columns and

sample

resulting

riveted

columns.

Phoenix Bridge

• Botetourt County, Virginia• Ball Park Road (Route 685) over Craig Creek• 152 Foot Pratt Truss Span• Built 1887, moved here in 1903 by C&O Railroad; Converted to

vehicular use in 1963.

Phoenix Bridge

• Significant for use of patented Phoenix columns.

• Unique for its surviving ornamental builder plaque listing the actual Phoenix Bridge Company, rather than a contractor like Dean and Westbrook.

Two More Phoenix Trusses

• Old Route 61 Wolf Creek Bridge • Bland County, Virginia (1891)• Pratt through truss• Gleaves Road (Route 619) Cripple Creek Bridge• Wythe County, Virginia (1880s Moved Here 1903)

CR-616 Wallens Creek

• County Road 616 Wallens Creek Bridge• Lee County, Virginia• Listed date of 1932.• A rare 1880s pin-connected Warren former railroad

bridge.

Crab Run Bridge

• Pony truss bridge over Crab Run on Route 645• Highland County, Virginia• Built 1896 by the West Virginia Bridge Works

Crab Run Bridge

• Extremely rare example of patented Lane truss built from railroad rails.

• Lane Bridge Works was based in Painted Post, New York, and existed from ca. 1890 to 1901. In 1890, company founder and civil engineer D. F. Lane patented the design and improved it in 1894.

Featherbed Lane Bridge

• Featherbed Lane (Route 673) over Catoctin Creek• Loudoun County, Virginia• Built 1889 on Leesburg & Alexandria Turnpike (Route 7) over

Goose Creek. • Moved here in 1932. • 157 Foot pin-connected Pratt built by Variety Iron Works of

Cleveland, Ohio

Featherbed Lane Bridge

Variety Iron Works of Cleveland, Ohio: Very few surviving bridges. Company did indeed build many structural iron and steel structures.

Linville Creek Bridge

• Springbrook Road (Route 1421) over Linville Creek in Broadway Rockingham County, Virginia

• Built 1898 by Wrought Iron Bridge Co. of Canton, Ohio• 136 foot Thacher truss.• Extremely rare, one of the few surviving Thacher trusses.

Linville Creek Bridge

Edwin Thacher developed and patented this hybrid truss in 1883.

Aden Road Bridge

• Aden Road over Norfolk Southern RR in Nokesville Prince William County, Virginia

• Built 1882 by Keystone Bridge Co. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania• 78 Foot Span.

Keystone Bridge Co.

Pittsburgh’s Keystone Bridge Company was also

associated with the Union Iron Mills of Pittsburgh, an

early endeavor of Andrew Carnegie.

Remington Bridge

• Remington Road Over Rappahannock River, Culpeper-Fauquier County Line

• Built ca. 1930-2 for US-15 by Roanoke Iron and Bridge Works of Roanoke, Virginia

• Virginia State Highway Commission Design (Two 90 Foot Riveted Warren Pony Truss spans, and two concrete t-beam spans)

• Highway realignment replaced 1885 truss bridge.

Railroad

US-15

1885 TrussPiers & Old Alignment

1937 Aerial

Waterloo Bridge

• Waterloo Road (Route 613) over Rappahannock River• Culpeper-Fauquier County Line, Virginia• 102 Foot Span• Pin-connected Pratt through truss

Waterloo Bridge

• Built in 1878 by Pittsburgh Bridge Company. One of the oldest examples of their work in the country, and an early surviving example of a pin-connected Pratt through truss.

• Approach spans were replaced in 1919 by Virginia Bridge and Iron Co. of Roanoke, VA.

Fauquier County Court Minute Book 1876-1880.

3: July 25, 1878 - “This day the Fauquier Comms. filed the report accepting the Bridge over the Rappk. River at Waterloo, erected by the Pittsburg Bridge Company, & s[ ] is confirmed. And the Court doth order the County Treasurer of Fauquier County to pay to T.N. Fletcher one of the Comms. on the part of Fauquier County the sum of $620.00 the balance due said Pittsburg Bridge Company in full of said Bridge….”

Pittsburgh Bridge Co.

Fink Truss Bridge

• Designed and patented by Albert Fink, the Fink truss was one of the first metal bridge types to be used by the railroad.

• Lightweight in design, they were soon replaced by heavier bridges, accounting for their rarity today.

Fink Truss Bridge

• One of less than a handful of surviving Fink truss bridges in USA.• Rare use of cast iron for vertical members.

• Lynchburg, VA. Built as railroad bridge in 1870. Moved and used on a highway in 1893. Placed in Riverside Park as a display in 1985.

Other Metal Truss Bridges

• Overall Virginia has a relatively small population of surviving metal truss bridges.

• The surviving collection is distinguished by its unusual, notable, and rare designs even compared with other states.

Little River Turnpike Bridge

• Loudoun County, Virginia• Crosses Little River on John S. Mosby Highway• Segmental stone arch bridge• Built 1824 (extremely old) and a surviving artifact of turnpike

era.

Goose Creek Bridge

• Built ca. 1802-1810 for Ashby’s Gap Turnpike. One of the oldest known surviving bridges in Virginia.

• Segmental stone arch bridge• Battle of Upperville around bridge in 1863• Bypassed by new bridge in 1957

Daniel B. Luten (1869-1946)

• Michigan-born engineer based in Indiana who designed, patented, and promoted concrete arch bridges.

• Many different companies bought rights to use his patented designs.

• Helped popularize the use of traditional reinforced concrete in bridges.

Luten: The Salesman

Luten In Fauquier County

• Closed spandrel concrete deck arch bridges built in 1919.

• Built by Luten Bridge Company of York, Pennsylvania: A licensed builder of Luten design bridges.

• Traditional, unaltered examples of rural Luten design bridges.

• 2 bridges on Crenshaw Road over Goose Creek (right) and Wolf’s Mill Branch (left).

Luten: Fairground Rd. Bridge

• Callaway: Tazewell County, Virginia over the Clinch River

• Concrete closed spandrel deck arch bridge.• Built 1923 by Luten Bridge Company of Knoxville, TN

James River Bridge

• CSX - James River Bridge• Richmond, Virginia• Large multi-span open spandrel concrete arch

bridge, 2200 feet long, built in 1919.• Designed by noted engineer John Edwin Greiner

Through Arch Bridge Basics

Standard or Traditional Arch: Ends of arch thrust into piers and abutments at an angle.

Tied Arch: Rests on top of piers and abutments and is held together by a large “tie” beam near deck level.

All are commonly called Rainbow Arch Bridges

US-1 Stony Creek Bridge

• US-1 Stony Creek Bridge• Dinwiddie County, Virginia• Concrete Through “Rainbow” Arch.• Tied Arch design.• Built 1927.• Only known surviving rainbow arch in

Virginia.

Suspension Footbridges

Virginia has a unique and unusually large collection of suspension foot bridges.

Spivey Ford Suspension Footbridge, Bellamy, Gloucester County

Old Footings Above


Design varies, some made of modern (welded materials), others made of historic riveted materials (potentially salvaged and reused)

Zenobia Suspension Footbridge, Washington County, Virginia. (Note use of railroad rail for anchorages.)


A few bridges appear to be built from original materials, or from materials reused with greater effort.

Thornton River -Sperryville, Virginia

Robinson River -Criglersville, Virginia


Most are of simple or even crude design.Some are DOT owned!

North Fork Holston River - Chatham Hill vicinity, Virginia

Bridge Restoration Experience

Bach Steel specializes in the relocation and restoration of historic metal truss bridges, but also has many years of experience in general structural steel fabrication and

erection work.

Example: State Street Bridge, Bridgeport , Michigan

Before and After

Example: State Street Bridge, Bridgeport , Michigan

Safety Assurance: Restoration of this “paired eyebar fracture critical truss bridge” Stamped

By Engineer, Approved By MDOT.

The Restoration: Replicating Portions of Beams

A very common truss repair: Replicate and replace only the bottom portion of vertical members and end posts.

Replicated portion.

Original end post.

ReplicatedPortion

Pad Welding

2017: Notable Bridge Projects:MDOT Riveting Projects

Restoration/Relocation M-86 Prairie River

Procurement With Bach SteelTwo Possible Approaches

Incorporate a Special Provision in Specifications stating that work

relating to historic bridge be completed by pre-approved

companies.

BLACKSMITHDescription

Repair of the truss members of the two historic bridge spans requires skills that are uncommon. Therefore, the following specific tasks shall be accomplished by one of the firms noted in this

provision. The tasks are:1. riveting,

2. welding of any sort on bridge members,The firms that may perform the blacksmith work

for this project are:

Procurement With Bach SteelTwo Possible Approaches

Special Provision in Specifications stating

that bridge is to be supplied as a completed

product meeting specifications.

List approved suppliers.

Common method for modern, prefabricated

pedestrian truss bridges.

Consequences of Inexperienced Contractors On Specialty Work

Historic Bridge Damage/DestructionAssociated Project Cost Increases/Delays

Possibly including additional Section 106 Consultation.

Consequences of Inexperienced Contractors On Specialty Work

Bad Repairs (Harms historic integrity of bridge, repairs are less effective, require greater future costs)

Benefits of Experienced Engineers

Long-lasting and good looking repairs, detailed analysis of bridge. Confidence to put stamp on rehabilitation. Owner and public reassured by this confidence as well.

Typical vs Unique

Functional vs Functional Historic Landmark

Possibilities?

Freedom Bridge in Carroll County, Indiana

Conclusion/Questions

Email: [email protected]

Photo Credits/Sources:HistoricBridges.org

BachSteel.comBridgeHunter.comBridgeMeister.com

Photos may be protected by copyright

with all rights reserved.

virginia's historic bridges

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