Above: View from same location as the top photo, after the replacement was complete.

This bridge was demolished July 28, 2004.

The Church Road bridge was a Pratt through truss bridge and had six panels and riveted connections. It sat on concrete abutments, with former cobblestone abutments visible behind the concrete. The deck of the bridge was asphalt on corrugated steel. It appeared to retain its original guardrails above the modern guardrails below. The original guardrails were a simple piece of metal running along the bridge. The bridge had rusted severely, and had developed holes in several spots. The newspaper had a tiny article mentioning the destruction of the bridge and said the bridge was built in 1904. Apparently, Sanilac County felt the best way to celebrate the centennial birthday of this bridge was to wipe it off the face of the earth.

Major Renovations?

The bridge did not have any wood beams or deck parts. Also, connections were riveted rather than pinned. The riveted connections below the deck did not appear to be rusted as bad as the rest of the bridge. Based only on observations, I believe that this bridge may have underwent a major renovation in perhaps the 1930s. Connections may have been repaired or replaced, and perhaps a wooden deck was replaced as well.

A person who lived near the bridge told me that the he moved there in the 1940s, and that the bridge at that time had a concrete deck. He then explained that the final asphalt deck was installed some thirty years ago, which would be the 1970s. This explained the good condition of the deck I-beams.

What Could Have Been Done?

Although this bridge was in need of repairs, I do not believe that the bridge had gone too far to serve as a pedestrian crossing, or even continue to carry light vehicular traffic. There was some bracing under the deck that was worn or broken, however a restoration of the bridge could have replaced those parts. Welding some steel onto the most rusted parts of the bridge would have helped too. The deck and deck I-beams were in excellent condition, there was not much work needed there. I am not convinced that there was ever enough traffic volume, nor weight going across the bridge to justify a need for a two lane bridge with infinite weight limit.

This bridge was Sanilac county's last through truss bridge, and I believe that Sanilac county will regret losing this bridge, in the years ahead.

A Lot Learned

SLH Contracting of Corunna MI got the job of tearing the truss bridge down and building the replacement. I contacted them and told them that I was interested in witnessing and photographing the demolition. They were very friendly and had no problem with me doing so. As a result, I have an extensive photo-coverage of the whole event that documents the end of the historic Church Road Bridge. I also learned a lot about how much work it actually is to get rid of a truss bridge, as well as how it is done.

Although I am unhappy that the bridge was destroyed, I am happy with my complete photographic documentation of this bridge. I have pictures of this bridge from all seasons, as well as some pictures from a summer day that was absolutely perfect for photographing the bridge. I have a complete set of photos that show the demolition of the bridge. This was a demolition that I prepared for, and as such I have a good record of the bridge's existence. This is unlike the tragedy of the Shanley Road Bridge or Genesee Road Bridge. If you want more or larger Church Road Bridge pictures than are offered on this website, please do not hesitate to contact me.