Richman Road Bridge

This Bridge is in Danger!

Giving the 27 Mile and 28 Mile Bridges a run for their money, this bridge is one of the worst conditions I have ever seen a truss bridge in while still standing. I wonder how this bridge is even lucky enough to remain standing.

I had written the St. CLair County Road Commission and asked them for a list of truss bridges in St. Clair County, both open and closed to traffic. I was told by the St. Clair County Road Commission that there were three truss bridges remaining in St. Clair County. They listed the Speaker Road Bridge, Indian Trail Bridge, and Frith Road Bridge. I am unsure why they did not mention this bridge. Located on an abandoned section of Richman Road, that once led from the now-tiny town of Smiths Creek southward, this bridge is closed to traffic. I was led to this bridge by my friend, Luke Gordon, who lives in the area of this bridge. Thanks to Luke, and no thanks to the road commission!

This is one of the smallest Pratt pony truss bridges I have seen. It has riveted connections. The abutments are steel, and the bridge sits on steel i-beams. Guardrails appear to be original, and are a two simple square-shaped strips of steel, very much like the State Street Bridge. The deck no longer remains on the bridge. This suggests that either a concrete deck was removed at some time, or more likely that the deck was originally wood. The wood may have simply rotted and washed away in the floods.

This bridge may not last much longer. Floods have washed away the dirt that once held the simple steel supports for the bridge, and they are slowly tipping over, taking the bridge along with them. This problem alone poses the greatest danger to the bridge, in my opinion. As if that were not enough, this bridge is severely rusted, and the vertical members are rusting away their connections - one of them no longer is connected to the deck anymore. Rust has also been breaking apart of of the steel plating on the top chord.

Like the 27 Mile and 28 Mile Bridges, I feel sad, since I do not see how a bridge this bad could be restored. However I do think that parts from this bridge could be repaired and set upon a beam bridge to be used for decorative purposes. It would be better than having the remains of a bridge buried in the muck of Smiths Creek. Someone should have taken better care of this bridge before it got like this. If it were not so bad off, it would have been an easy bridge to restore and perhaps move, due to its small size. But as long as this bridge is here, it gives anyone who cares to take a look something fun and beautiful to enjoy. Even in its poor condition, the bridge is a positive feature of the area.