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Sterling Road Bridge

Sterling Road Bridge

Primary Photographer(s): Nathan Holth and Rick McOmber

Bridge Documented: Fall/Winter 2006 and November 6, 2021

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Facility Carried / Feature Intersected
M-156 Sidewalk Over Silver Creek
Location
Morenci: Lenawee County, Michigan: United States
Construction Date and Builder / Engineer
1897 By Builder/Contractor: Toledo Bridge Company of Toledo, Ohio (Former Smith Bridge Company of Toledo, Ohio)
Rehabilitation Date
2004
Main Span Length
80.0 Feet (24.4 Meters)
Structure Length
82.0 Feet (25 Meters)
Roadway Width
15.4 Feet (4.69 Meters)
Spans
1 Main Span(s)
Inventory Number
30319H00006B010

Historic Significance Rating (HSR)
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Bridge Documentation

This bridge is right at the southern Michigan border. The Welcome to Ohio signage can be easily seen from this bridge. Hillsdale County, which is where this bridge came from, apparently did not care that this was their last truss bridge when they gave it up for relocation to Morenci. Hillsdale County no longer has any historic truss bridges, but Morenci is the proud new owner of this beautifully restored historic truss bridge. The Sterling Road Bridge, now serving sidewalk traffic, now sits next to a 1935 beam bridge on M-156 that has also been renovated and is historic as well.

The Sterling Road Bridge was built in 1897 by the Toledo Bridge Company. The company was known in earlier years as the Smith Bridge Company. MDOT's image shows the bridge with its original plaque mounted on the portal bracing. The current plaque on the bridge is not original. The bridge is a Pratt through truss with pinned connections and five panels. V-lacing is present on the vertical members, and on the sway bracing. The floor beams have an interesting fishbelly shape to them, something usually found on older truss bridges say from the 1880s. Fortunately, these beautiful floor beams were not replaced when the bridge was rehabilitated.  Bottom chord eye bars on the bridge are of the up-set variety. Portal bracing is ornate, with a lattice design coupled with an unusual decorative design in the corners. The railings on the bridge are not the original railings, but are an attractive design Michigan created and used on a number of truss bridge preservation projects. The intent is to create a railing that meets safety requirements while also a nod to historical designs. It features a lattice design with a horizontal tube on top.

Information and Findings From Michigan Historic Bridge Inventory

Statement of Significance

This bridge was moved from its original location in Hillsdale County on Sterling Road over the St. Joseph River to Lenawee County. The Sterling Road Bridge is one of the early examples of the Michigan work of the Smith Bridge Company of Toledo, Ohio. It is particularly notable because of the ornamental details on its portal cross bracing.


This bridge is tagged with the following special condition(s): Reused and Unorganized Photos

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Photo Galleries and Videos: Sterling Road Bridge

 

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Bridge Photo-Documentation

A collection of overview and detail photos. This photo gallery contains a combination of Original Size photos and Mobile Optimized photos in a touch-friendly popup viewer.
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Additional Unorganized Photos

Original / Full Size Photos
A supplemental collection of photos that are from additional visit(s) to the bridge and have not been organized or captioned. This gallery offers photos in the highest available resolution and file size in a touch-friendly popup viewer.
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View Photo Gallery

Additional Unorganized Photos

Mobile Optimized Photos
A supplemental collection of photos that are from additional visit(s) to the bridge and have not been organized or captioned. This gallery features data-friendly, fast-loading photos in a touch-friendly popup viewer.
Alternatively, Browse Without Using Viewer

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Maps and Links: Sterling Road Bridge

Coordinates (Latitude, Longitude):

Search For Additional Bridge Listings:

Bridgehunter.com: View listed bridges within 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) of this bridge.

Bridgehunter.com: View listed bridges within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of this bridge.

HistoricBridges.org Bridge Browser: View listed bridges within 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) of this bridge.

HistoricBridges.org Bridge Browser: View listed bridges within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of this bridge.

2021 National Bridge Inventory: View listed bridges within 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) of this bridge.

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