| Key Facts |
| Bridge Name | Facility Carried / Feature Intersected | Location | Structure Type | Construction Date / Builder or Contractor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bath Road Bridge
Clark Road Bridge | Bath Road (Clark Road) Over Looking Glass River | Rural: Shiawassee County, Michigan | Concrete 40 Foot Plan Curved Chord Through Girder, Stationary | 1925 By: Unknown |
| Technical Facts |
| Rehabilitation Date | Main Span Length | Structure Length | Roadway Width | Main Spans | Approach Spans |
| 36.7 Feet (11.2 Meters) | 41 Feet (12.5 Meters) | 23 Feet (7 Meters) | 1 | 0 |
This bridge is an example of Michigan's unique curved chord through girder bridges commonly called concrete camelback bridges, an unusual, beautiful, and significant structure type. Once common in Michigan, variations of this structure type are extremely rare or non-existent in other states. Even in Michigan the bridges are today rare, with less remaining examples of this bridge type than metal truss bridges in the state. Despite the rarity of the bridge type both statewide and nationally, many of these bridges were not found eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, although MDOT has shown interest in possibly changing this consultant-recommended finding. HistoricBridges.org has recommended that all surviving examples in Michigan should be found eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and highlighted for preservation.
The Bath Road Bridge (this road is named Clark Road in nearby Clinton County) is a 40 foot plan, and it features the typical design for this size. The 40 foot plan was the shortest form of the the curved chord through girder in Michigan. There are extremely few examples of this length because in most cases the straight chord through girder was used instead. The bridge retains excellent historic integrity with the exception of missing/stolen plaques. The bridge also has good structural integrity. It is the only curved chord through girder in Shiawassee County.
