|
Key Facts |
| Bridge Name | Facility Carried / Feature Intersected | Location | Structure Type | Construction Date / Builder or Contractor |
| New Richmond Bridge
57th Street Bridge |
57th Street (Old Allegan Road) Over Kalamazoo River | New Richmond: Allegan County, Michigan | Metal Pinned Warren Pony Truss, Movable: Swing | 1879 By: Milwaukee Bridge and Iron Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
|
Technical Facts |
|
Rehabilitation Dates |
Structure Length | Number of Main Spans | Roadway Width |
| 1980, 2005 | 422 Feet (128.6 Meters) | 4 | 11.8 Feet (3.6 Meters) |
Michigan Historic Sites Online provides an excellent introduction into the historic significance of the bridge:
About the New Richmond Bridge, From Michigan Historic Sites OnlineNarrative Description: The New Richmond Bridge is a
422 foot long highway bridge spanning the Kalamazoo River on 57th Street
near the village of New Richmond. The structure is comprised of four
primary spans, each a Warren truss of wrought iron, with a wood-planked
deck. The primary spans include an eighty-nine-foot long Warren pony
truss equal-arm swing span, a Warren pony truss span seventy feet long
on either side of the swing span -- all three spans constructed with
pinned connections -- and a fifty foot nine inches long riveted Warren
pony truss to the north of the more northerly seventy-foot pony truss
span. The structure has a minimum roadway width of twelve feet ten
inches. The New Richmond Bridge's three pinned Warren truss spans date
from 1879, the riveted Warren span from 1899. The bridge spans the
Kalamazoo River at a broad loop where its course turns from northwest to
southwest on its way toward Lake Michigan a few miles to the west. The
mostly wooded site is a bucolic one, with the small hamlet of New
Richmond a short distance on the low ground to the south and hills
rising steeply just to the north. A plate girder railroad bridge spans
the river at a shallow angle to the New Richmond Bridge a short distance
west. Statement of Significance: With its three 1879 spans fabricated
by the Milwaukee Bridge and Iron Company, the New Richmond Bridge is one
of Michigan's oldest metal truss highway bridges and the largest by far
in overall length of Michigan's pony truss highway bridges. The bridge's
chief importance, however, is that it is one of the oldest -- if not the
oldest -- surviving highway swing bridges in the United States. The
erection of the bridge generated considerable local controversy, as
residents opposed to the high cost of an iron structure attempted to
halt construction by dislodging piles. The bridge is now being
rehabilitated through public funding and private subscription. It was
inventoried by the Historic American Engineering Record in 1975, and was
described as "an excellent example of late nineteenth-century bridge
construction." |
This nationally significant bridge is one of the top historic bridges in Michigan. Multi-span pony truss bridges are uncommon, and this four-span structure is the longest remaining pony truss in Michigan. The 1879 construction date makes this one of the oldest truss bridges in Michigan. The early date of construction is evident in the unusual design of the built-up members and chords on the bridge, which are unlike the standards found in most truss bridges of the 1880s and 1890s. In particular, v-laced diagonal members are an unusual design. In addition, the outriggers have star-shaped members that resemble those seen on bowstring bridges like Blackfriars Street. The swing span has some different features than the approach spans also. Diagonal members and top chords are different in size for instance. The built-up top chord on the swing span is an unusual design. One of the approach spans was replaced in 1899. This span is in itself significant. It is constructed in the lightweight style similar to the 10 Mile Road Bridge, a design of which few remaining examples exist. With an 1899 construction date, this pony truss replacement is also historically significant as an early example of a highway truss using riveted connections.
This bridge was restored, representing an excellent success story for Michigan and historic bridges in general. The bridge was dismantled and the parts were repaired off-site before being returned to the site for reassembly. Although the Kalamazoo River is no longer navigable for boats, the restoration still included restoring the mechanics that allow this manually turned swing bridge to operate. An opening ceremony took place in which the bridge was opened and closed.
The only disappointment for the restoration, is the choice of cyclone fencing railings. Granted, liability and safety are a concern, but there are other safe alternatives that also more attractive, such as the pole railings seen on the pedestrian bridge in downtown Grand Rapids.
|
Information and Findings From MDOT
