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Bridge Street Bridge (Portland, Michigan)

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Coordinates: 42°52′11″N 84°54′14.5″W / 42.86972°N 84.904028°W / 42.86972; -84.904028
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Bridge Street Bridge
Coordinates42°52′11″N 84°54′14.5″W / 42.86972°N 84.904028°W / 42.86972; -84.904028
CrossesGrand River
LocalePortland, Michigan
Other name(s)Veterans Memorial Bridge
ID number344552000015B01[1]
Characteristics
DesignPratt through truss
Total length210 ft (64 m)[1]
Width15 ft (4.6 m)[1]
No. of spans2
Piers in water1
History
Constructed byGroton Bridge and Manufacturing Company
Opened1890
Rebuilt1990
Bridge Street Bridge
Part ofPortland Downtown Historic District (ID05000153[2])
Designated CPMay 18, 2005
Location
Map

Bridge Street Bridge, also known as Veterans Memorial Bridge, is a two-span Pratt through truss bridge that crosses the Grand River in Portland, Michigan, in the United States. Completed in 1890, it is the oldest known surviving example of a truss bridge built in the state by the Groton Bridge and Manufacturing Company.[3][4]

Within Portland, the bridge has historically been known as the "Upper Bridge" to distinguish it from the "Lower Bridge" crossing at Grand River Avenue, which is located approximately 400 ft (120 m) downstream. Fabricated from iron and steel, Bridge Street Bridge replaced a wooden bridge that had been built at the same site in 1837–1838.[5][6]

After being damaged by ice flows in the river, Bridge Street Bridge was closed to truck traffic in 1952. It was subsequently closed to all vehicular traffic in 1978 as a result of continued deterioration. The bridge was rehabilitated in 1990 using Critical Bridge funds from the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, marking the first time that the state had used these funds for bridge restoration instead of bridge replacement.[5][7]

Today the single-lane Bridge Street Bridge is open to vehicular traffic with a weight limit of 15 short tons (14 t) and operates one-way in the eastbound direction; a pedestrian walkway runs along the north side of the bridge. Other vehicles crossing the river in Portland use the bridge at Grand River Avenue, which carries two-way traffic.

Bridge Street Bridge was designated as a Michigan Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1991. The structure is included within the Portland Downtown Historic District.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Bridge Street Bridge (Veterans Memorial Bridge)". HistoricBridges.org. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  3. ^ "Bridge Street Bridge". Bridgehunter.com. James Baughn. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  4. ^ "Bridge St. / Grand River". Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Vail, Janet. "Bridge Street Bridge" (PDF). Historic American Engineering Record. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  6. ^ Christensen, Robert O. (September 2004). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Portland Downtown Historic District". Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  7. ^ "Portland's River Trail Re-uses Historic Steel Bridge" (PDF). Michigan Civil Engineer. ASCE Michigan Section. Winter 2006. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
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