1927+2006 US-23 U.S. Grant Bridges over Ohio River at Portsmouth, OH

(Bridge Hunter broke Mar 22, 2023; B&T; Satellite, a cable stay bridge replaced a suspension bridge)

The new bridge opened in 2006. [Flickr]

Bridges Now and Then posted
The U.S. Grant Bridge linking Portsmouth, Ohio, and South Portsmouth, Kentucky, 1927. (Bridges and Tunnels)
Dennis DeBruler: http://bridgestunnels.com/location/u-s-grant-bridge/

DigitalCommonWealth, Public Domain
U.S. Grant Bridge, Portsmouth, Ohio. Connecting Kentucky and Ohio, U.S. Route 23 showing Portsmouth, Ohio, in background
Alamy slapped a copyright on their copy

yourppl
"Colorized image of the bridge crossing the Ohio River to Portsmouth (background) "Portsmouth's population exceeds 50,000" printed on front. "The Portsmouth Fullerton Bridge Co. owners, the Dravo Construction Company, Pittsburgh, PA. Builders on back. The first US Grant Bridge carried US Route 23 across the Ohio River from Portsmouth to South Shore/Fullerton in Kentucky. It opened as a toll bridge in 1927, became toll free in 1974, and was razed in 2001."

yourppl

2006 Cable Stayed Bridge

Street View, Sep 2013

Street View, Aug 2022

cjmahan
"The new U.S. Grant Bridge is a three span cable-stayed structure spanning the Ohio River at Portsmouth Ohio.  Stainless steel caps top off the main towers, which rise over three hundred feet above the river bed.  This structure, with a total suspended span length of 1,685 feet, is the first cable-stayed bridge designed and constructed for the Ohio Department of Transportation."

"All cable stayed bridges differ in one way or another. The US Grant Bridge is unique in several aspects. First, the cables join the support towers from a structure at the very top of the towers. In most cable stayed bridges, the cables attach up the sides of the towers. Second, the towers are each a single vertical column, whereas other cable stayed towers are large H, A, or event inverted Y forms. Third, the towers come up through the middle of the deck, whereas most cable stayed bridges have the towers to the outside, in the middle between two spans. Finally, there is very little structure for the bridge deck connected to the towers. The steel deck connects to a single concrete member at the tower, with 4 stay cables set nearly vertical at each tower. The result is that most of the deck weight is transferred through the cables rather than directly to the towers." [John Weeks]

The "stainless steel cap:"

cjmahan

reliance-eng
The main span is 875' (267m).
"The bridge features many design innovations that enhanced its economy, serviceability, aesthetics, and constructability. The bridge towers are supported by compact water-line foundations. The unique superstructure design is lighter and uses significantly less structural steel than typical steel bridges."
[I haven't seen this design repeated. Is it because most other cable bridges are a lot bigger?]

Compare the height of the water on the towers in this photo with the other photos of this bridge.

Freeman Kelly Dronography, Dec 2018

"The combination of epoxy-coating, grout filling, and outer tubing provides protection for the all-important structural cabling suspension system from both weather and corrosion. Ironically, however, these same features make it impossible to gain direct access to either the cables or the interior of the anchorages which, in turn, presents special challenges for inspection and rehabilitation of these critical bridge components on bridges of this type. It was envisioned that its long-term behavior and any associated changes in its structural condition could be best understood with the aid of a longitudinal study beginning during bridge construction, one that includes instrumented monitoring of both construction/erection and in-service phases of the life of this bridge. Such an approach, integrated with traditional bridge management techniques, would help lead to a safe and economical realization of the 100-year design life of this structure. A health monitoring system for the bridge would be designed, planned, and implemented, with data collection and archival throughout its construction and ultimately an automated, user-friendly interface on a dedicated website." [LoC]

6 photos of the suspension bridge taken a little over a year before it was demolished.