Sherman Road Bridge

This bridge is in danger!

Normally you will see me complaining about wooden guardrails on restored truss bridges, because they block the view of the bridge. This bridge has much older, less intrusive wooden guardrails, that are either original or were put on long ago. Either way, it made this bridge unusual. This bridge is a pin connected Pratt half-hip pony truss, and was one of several pony trusses that I found in western Monroe County. It was overgrown, and has been closed to traffic for many years. It is in more danger than the other bridges here because the southern truss appeared to be twisting or bending a bit and so it probably not in very good shape. The i-beams were in very bad shape as well. There were small i-beams above the floor beams under the bridge. They appear to be added, perhaps to raise the deck. Perhaps this area of the creek floods or something, which would account for why the deck was raised and also why the floor beams were in bad shape.

This bridge was not listed on the Michigan historic bridge inventory, and I am unsure why. Anyway, I am glad I found it, and was able to photo-document it. If it were in the inventory it would likely have a date of 1895-1910 listed.