Virginia s Historic Bridges. Presented By: Nathan Holth Copyright 2017

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1 Virginia s Historic Bridges Presented By: Nathan Holth Copyright 2017

2 Introduction: About Me Website created and maintained by me. Photos, Advocacy, & Documentation 32 States 4 Canadian Provinces 4475 Bridges Listed Currently 14 Years I work in the office and also handle historic bridge matters. Steel Fabricator Restoration/Relocation of Historic Bridges & Hot Rivets

3 Bridge Structure Basics Superstructure Pier Abutment Abutment Substructure The part of the bridge that spans the obstacle is the superstructure. The part of the bridge that holds the superstructure up is the substructure (piers and abutments)

4 Compression Tension Truss Bridge Forces The parts of a truss bridge experience forces in the form of tension (stretching apart) and compression (squeezing together). Engineers often picked different types of materials and designs for the different parts of a bridge based on these forces. An example is shown above.

5 Truss Configurations Pratt Warren The two most common truss configurations are shown above.

6 Truss Bridge Connections The pieces of the framework of a truss bridge are held together by connections, sometimes also called joints. Most connections on historic bridges are either riveted or pinned, but can also be bolted or welded.

7 Phoenix Columns A special type of built-up wrought iron column. These columns feature a circular shape to them. They were generally used on pin-connected truss bridges, for various members and bracing.

8 Phoenix Columns Phoenix Columns were invented and patented by Phoenix Iron Company of Phoenixville and Philadelphia, and the related Phoenix Bridge Company built bridges with them.

9 Phoenix Columns Drawings from a company catalogue show the rolled sections for Phoenix Columns and sample resulting riveted columns.

10 Phoenix Bridge Botetourt County, Virginia Ball Park Road (Route 685) over Craig Creek 152 Foot Pratt Truss Span Built 1887, moved here in 1903 by C&O Railroad; Converted to vehicular use in 1963.

11 Phoenix Bridge Significant for use of patented Phoenix columns. Unique for its surviving ornamental builder plaque listing the actual Phoenix Bridge Company, rather than a contractor like Dean and Westbrook.

12 Two More Phoenix Trusses Old Route 61 Wolf Creek Bridge Bland County, Virginia (1891) Pratt through truss Gleaves Road (Route 619) Cripple Creek Bridge Wythe County, Virginia (1880s Moved Here 1903)

13 CR-616 Wallens Creek County Road 616 Wallens Creek Bridge Lee County, Virginia Listed date of A rare 1880s pin-connected Warren former railroad bridge.

14 Crab Run Bridge Pony truss bridge over Crab Run on Route 645 Highland County, Virginia Built 1896 by the West Virginia Bridge Works

15 Crab Run Bridge Extremely rare example of patented Lane truss built from railroad rails. Lane Bridge Works was based in Painted Post, New York, and existed from ca to In 1890, company founder and civil engineer D. F. Lane patented the design and improved it in

16 Featherbed Lane Bridge Featherbed Lane (Route 673) over Catoctin Creek Loudoun County, Virginia Built 1889 on Leesburg & Alexandria Turnpike (Route 7) over Goose Creek. Moved here in Foot pin-connected Pratt built by Variety Iron Works of Cleveland, Ohio

17 Featherbed Lane Bridge Variety Iron Works of Cleveland, Ohio: Very few surviving bridges. Company did indeed build many structural iron and steel structures.

18 Linville Creek Bridge Springbrook Road (Route 1421) over Linville Creek in Broadway Rockingham County, Virginia Built 1898 by Wrought Iron Bridge Co. of Canton, Ohio 136 foot Thacher truss. Extremely rare, one of the few surviving Thacher trusses.

19 Linville Creek Bridge Edwin Thacher developed and patented this hybrid truss in 1883.

20 Aden Road Bridge Aden Road over Norfolk Southern RR in Nokesville Prince William County, Virginia Built 1882 by Keystone Bridge Co. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 78 Foot Span.

21 Keystone Bridge Co. Pittsburgh s Keystone Bridge Company was also associated with the Union Iron Mills of Pittsburgh, an early endeavor of Andrew Carnegie.

22 Remington Bridge 1937 Aerial US-15 Railroad 1885 Truss Piers & Old Alignment Remington Road Over Rappahannock River, Culpeper-Fauquier County Line Built ca for US-15 by Roanoke Iron and Bridge Works of Roanoke, Virginia Virginia State Highway Commission Design (Two 90 Foot Riveted Warren Pony Truss spans, and two concrete t-beam spans) Highway realignment replaced 1885 truss bridge.

23 Waterloo Bridge Waterloo Road (Route 613) over Rappahannock River Culpeper-Fauquier County Line, Virginia 102 Foot Span Pin-connected Pratt through truss

24 Waterloo Bridge Fauquier County Court Minute Book Page 243: July 25, This day the Fauquier Comms. filed the report accepting the Bridge over the Rappk. River at Waterloo, erected by the Pittsburg Bridge Company, & s[ ] is confirmed. And the Court doth order the County Treasurer of Fauquier County to pay to T.N. Fletcher one of the Comms. on the part of Fauquier County the sum of $ the balance due said Pittsburg Bridge Company in full of said Bridge. Built in 1878 by Pittsburgh Bridge Company. One of the oldest examples of their work in the country, and an early surviving example of a pin-connected Pratt through truss. Approach spans were replaced in 1919 by Virginia Bridge and Iron Co. of Roanoke, VA.

25 Pittsburgh Bridge Co.

26 Fink Truss Bridge Designed and patented by Albert Fink, the Fink truss was one of the first metal bridge types to be used by the railroad. Lightweight in design, they were soon replaced by heavier bridges, accounting for their rarity today.

27 Fink Truss Bridge One of less than a handful of surviving Fink truss bridges in USA. Rare use of cast iron for vertical members. Lynchburg, VA. Built as railroad bridge in Moved and used on a highway in Placed in Riverside Park as a display in 1985.

28 Other Metal Truss Bridges Overall Virginia has a relatively small population of surviving metal truss bridges. The surviving collection is distinguished by its unusual, notable, and rare designs even compared with other states.

29 Little River Turnpike Bridge Loudoun County, Virginia Crosses Little River on John S. Mosby Highway Segmental stone arch bridge Built 1824 (extremely old) and a surviving artifact of turnpike era.

30 Goose Creek Bridge Built ca for Ashby s Gap Turnpike. One of the oldest known surviving bridges in Virginia. Segmental stone arch bridge Battle of Upperville around bridge in 1863 Bypassed by new bridge in 1957

31 Daniel B. Luten ( ) Michigan-born engineer based in Indiana who designed, patented, and promoted concrete arch bridges. Many different companies bought rights to use his patented designs. Helped popularize the use of traditional reinforced concrete in bridges.

32 Luten: The Salesman

33 Luten In Fauquier County 2 bridges on Crenshaw Road over Goose Creek (right) and Wolf s Mill Branch (left). Closed spandrel concrete deck arch bridges built in Built by Luten Bridge Company of York, Pennsylvania: A licensed builder of Luten design bridges. Traditional, unaltered examples of rural Luten design bridges.

34 Luten: Fairground Rd. Bridge Callaway: Tazewell County, Virginia over the Clinch River Concrete closed spandrel deck arch bridge. Built 1923 by Luten Bridge Company of Knoxville, TN

35 James River Bridge CSX - James River Bridge Richmond, Virginia Large multi-span open spandrel concrete arch bridge, 2200 feet long, built in Designed by noted engineer John Edwin Greiner

36 Through Arch Bridge Basics Standard or Traditional Arch: Ends of arch thrust into piers and abutments at an angle. Tied Arch: Rests on top of piers and abutments and is held together by a large tie beam near deck level. All are commonly called Rainbow Arch Bridges

37 US-1 Stony Creek Bridge Dinwiddie County, Virginia Concrete Through Rainbow Arch. Tied Arch design. Built Only known surviving rainbow arch in Virginia. US-1 Stony Creek Bridge

38 Spivey Ford Suspension Footbridge, Bellamy, Gloucester County Suspension Footbridges Old Footings Above Virginia has a unique and unusually large collection of suspension foot bridges.

39 Suspension Footbridges Zenobia Suspension Footbridge, Washington County, Virginia. (Note use of railroad rail for anchorages.) Design varies, some made of modern (welded materials), others made of historic riveted materials (potentially salvaged and reused)

40 Suspension Footbridges Robinson River - Criglersville, Virginia Thornton River - Sperryville, Virginia A few bridges appear to be built from original materials, or from materials reused with greater effort.

41 Suspension Footbridges North Fork Holston River - Chatham Hill vicinity, Virginia Most are of simple or even crude design. Some are DOT owned!

42 Bridge Restoration Experience Bach Steel specializes in the relocation and restoration of historic metal truss bridges, but also has many years of experience in general structural steel fabrication and erection work.

43 Example: State Street Bridge, Bridgeport, Michigan Before and After

44 Example: State Street Bridge, Bridgeport, Michigan Safety Assurance: Restoration of this paired eyebar fracture critical truss bridge Stamped By Engineer, Approved By MDOT.

45 The Restoration: Replicating Portions of Beams Original end post. Replicated Portion Pad Welding Replicated portion. A very common truss repair: Replicate and replace only the bottom portion of vertical members and end posts.

46 2017: Notable Bridge Projects: MDOT Riveting Projects Restoration/Relocation M-86 Prairie River

47 2017: Notable Bridge Projects: MDOT Riveting Projects Restoration/Relocation M-86 Prairie River

48 Incorporate a Special Provision in Specifications stating that work relating to historic bridge be completed by pre-approved companies. BLACKSMITH Description Repair of the truss members of the two historic bridge spans requires skills that are uncommon. Therefore, the following specific tasks shall be accomplished by one of the firms noted in this provision. The tasks are: 1. riveting, 2. welding of any sort on bridge members, The firms that may perform the blacksmith work for this project are: Procurement With Bach Steel Two Possible Approaches

49 Special Provision in Specifications stating that bridge is to be supplied as a completed product meeting specifications. List approved suppliers. Common method for modern, prefabricated pedestrian truss bridges. Procurement With Bach Steel Two Possible Approaches

50 Consequences of Inexperienced Contractors On Specialty Work Historic Bridge Damage/Destruction Associated Project Cost Increases/Delays Possibly including additional Section 106 Consultation.

51 Consequences of Inexperienced Contractors On Specialty Work Bad Repairs (Harms historic integrity of bridge, repairs are less effective, require greater future costs)

52 Benefits of Experienced Engineers Long-lasting and good looking repairs, detailed analysis of bridge. Confidence to put stamp on rehabilitation. Owner and public reassured by this confidence as well.

53 Typical vs Unique Functional vs Functional Historic Landmark

54 Possibilities? Freedom Bridge in Carroll County, Indiana

55 Conclusion/Questions Photo Credits/Sources: HistoricBridges.org BachSteel.com BridgeHunter.com BridgeMeister.com Photos may be protected by copyright with all rights reserved.