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Key Facts |
Bridge Name |
Type | Road | Location | City | Crossing |
| Prospect Street Bridge | Truss (Non-Historic) | Prospect Street | Niagara County, NY | Lockport | Erie Canal |
I put this bridge in, to provide an example of a brand new truss bridge. In fact, this bridge was still being completed when I visited in spring of 2005. It is interesting to take a look at a new truss bridge and see if it looks nice and how it compares to a historic truss bridge. I have mixed feelings myself.
What do historic truss bridges usually have that this one does not? First off, I prefer the clean and orderly appearance of a rivet than than the clunky and uneven appearance of a bolt. Old bridges were riveted and new bridges are bolted. Another, even bigger thing for me that I miss on a new bridge like Prospect Street is v-lacing and lattice. V-lacing and lattice add to the intricacy of a truss bridge and also add an ornate appearance to the bridge. They keep the bridge from looking plain. V-lacing turns a steel i-beam into a decoration. Back when v-lacing was used, the decision was more of an economical one than a aesthetic one, but in today's world of plain concrete slabs, v-lacing is a thing of beauty. Historic bridges were often one-lane or narrow two-lane bridges, which gave them a tall appearance. Modern historic bridges when built will be two-lane and so they have a shorter appearance. Not a big deal, but if you are like me and like that narrow and tall feeling when you drive across a truss bridge you might be a bit disappointed with a new truss bridge.
I think that a modern truss bridge is a million times better than building a concrete slab. Even a modern truss bridge is aesthetic, and creates a good climax as you pass over the river or canal in this case. I just can not bring myself to see building a new truss bridge as justification for demolishing a historic truss bridges. The narrow, v-laced historic truss bridges are much more beautiful. But if a bridge must be replaced, I would much rather see a new truss bridge than a new slab.
This bridge replaced a bridge similar to the Day Road Bridge. The old Prospect Street Bridge had been closed to traffic due to deterioration a few years before the replacement was built. The current bridge sits on a slightly different alignment than the original bridge. But if that original truss bridge had been properly maintain, than perhaps I could be discussing another restored historic bridge on this page.
