|
Key Facts |
Bridge Name |
Type | Road | Location | City | Crossing |
| Grand Haven Bascule Bridge | Bascule (Plate Girder) | US-31 | Ottawa County, MI | Grand Haven / Ferrysburg | Grand River |
|
Technical Facts |
|
Construction Date |
Structure Length | Number of Approach Spans | Navigation Vertical Clearance | Roadway Width |
| 1960 | 692.9 Feet | 6 | 26.3 Feet | 84 Feet |
MDOT is apparently attempting to get this very wide bascule bridge listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This bridge is on a heavily traveled trunkline road, and it is nice to see its owner, MDOT making motions toward preservation rather than demolition. However, I wish this move had came before the original railings on this bridge were removed. The plain steel railings on the bridge today detract greatly from the aesthetic value of this bridge, as well as the bridge's appearance as a historic structure to the casual viewer. With the railings lost, one must make their way under the bridge to see the smooth arch and the riveted construction to identify the older construction of this bridge. While I am happy to see any bridge being considered and treated as historic, I wonder if MDOT is really placing its efforts on the right areas. I would rather see MDOT revising its funding policies to provide restoration and preservation funding to county road commissions for the purpose of deterring the demolition of such bridges like the 1920s Portsmouth Road Bridge. Although smaller, bridges such as that bridge are older and more rare, and in my opinion more deserving of attention.
