Lost Stone Bridges over Sakonnet River at Tiverton, RI

Old: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter)

1907: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Satellite)

BridgeHunter_Old

The swing span was a pony truss with a superstructure added.

BridgeHunter_Old

BridgeHunter_Old

1907 Bridge

"Built 1907; Damaged by Hurricane Carol 1954; Closed 1955; Replaced 1956" [BridgeHunter_1907]

The movable spans on this bridge are worthy of the "bridgeRare" label. The travellers on top of the rails are connected to the end of the spans so that when the travellers go down the rails they pull the spans up.

BridgeHunter_1907

BridgeHunter_1907

Here is a good view of the rails on top of the framework.

BridgeHunter_1907

In this view of the raised spans, the traveller is at the other end of the rails.

BridgeHunter_1907

Another view of the raised position.

BridgeHunter_1907

And here is a view of the traveller part way down.

BridgeHunter_1907

Bridges Now and Then posted
The Stone Bridge, Tiverton-Portsmouth, Rhode Island, 1951. (Providence, Journal)

Zack Lewis: That's the Tiverton side of the bridge, because that's the Doughboy Statue in the foreground

Street View, Oct 2019

1905(Page Design!)+1933 3rd Street (Lefty O'Doul) Bridges over China Basin in San Francisco, CA

1905: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter)

1933:  (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

Boat View, Nov 2014

1905 Page Design Bridge

BridgeHunter_1905
"A bascule bridge is a Page type designed by John W Page he worked with Shnable and Strauss on Trunnion bascule bridges, few of the types were constructed."

The Page design was indeed rare. Because the Monon Bridge was illegally scrapped, the GM&O Bridge is the only one left in the USA.

BridgeHunter_1905 and Bridges Now and Then posted
Looking south at San Francisco's Third Street Bridge, September 17, 1921. (Horace Chaffee, photographer/SF Department of Public Works)

1938 Straus Heel Trunnion Bridge

Street View, Mar 2025

lll

Bridges Now and Then posted
San Francisco's Third Street Bridge, May 6, 1933. (OpenSFHistory)

Kenneth Dotson commented on the above post
Working great for 92 years and counting. Not even affected by the '89 quake.

Kenneth Dotson commented on the above post

2018 Photo by Geoff Hubbs from AT&T Park via BridgeHunter_1933

HistoricBridges
"This particular example is unusual because it has a roadway that not only occupies the space between truss lines, but also has a roadway that is cantilevered out from the western truss line."

sfpublicworks

When I saw the Santa Fe sign, I checked out the railroad activity in this area. SP was on the northwest side, and Santa Fe was on the southeast side.

1950/50 San Francisco North @ 24,000

But when this bridge was built, it did accommodate steam locomotives. Note that the cantilevered road was added later.

 BridgeHunter_1933, Credit San Francisco History Center, SF Public Library
Bridge opening May 12, 1933

Transporter Bridge in Marseille, France

(Satellite?, I did not try to find a lost bridge in a foreign country.)

This bridge is like the Tees Transporter Bridge in that it uses tie-down cables rather than counterweights to offset the weight of the cantilever arms.

Heritage Unlocked posted
The long-lost transporter bridge at Marseille

1893-1976 Geddes Road Bridge over Huron River in Ann Arbor, MI

(Satellite)

I've seen truss rods under wood boxcars, but this is the first time I have seen them under a bridge. The truss rods are the reason I added the "bridgeRare" label to these notes.

Bridges Now and Then posted
Geddes Bridge, Ann Arbor, Michigan, June, 1976. (Ann Arbor District Library)

Steve William Lindsey: Sad how this played out.

It is a model, but this is the best photo I found showing truss rods on a boxcar.

printables

This bridge connected Geddes Avenue with Geddes Road before the Huron Parkway was built.

1965/67 Ann Arbor East Quad @ 24,000

The Huron Parkway was built by 1973.

1973/74 Ann Arbor East Quad @ 24,000

The replacement bridge:

Street View, Sep 2022

The Ann Arbor Council approved $94,000 to replace the bridge. Of that, $4,815 was for destroying the existing bridge, and $4,345 was for contingencies. Even though the Parks Supt. George Owers recommended saving the old bridge for use as a pedestrian bridge, the council would not approve an additional $4,686 to dismantle the bridge instead of destroying it. [AAnews_May_1976]

Some citizens tried to raise the $4,686, but they obviously failed. [AAnews_Jun_1976]

Salisbury Street Bollman Bridge over C&O Canal in Williamsport, MD

(Satellite)

C&O Canal Overview

I added the label "bridgeRare" because it is a Bollman bridge.

The Western Maryland Lift Bridge is in the left background.

Street View, Apr 2016

Metrotrails posted, doubled the size

Historic NPS image of Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Williamsport Maryland approaching the pony-Pratt iron truss bridge carrying Salisbury Street to River Bottom Park. The bridge was built in 1879 by Baltimore engineer Wendell Bollman's Patapsco Bridge and Ironworks. 

There are very few remaining Bollman bridges today. Another is in Savage, Maryland, and another is on Great Allegheny Passage near Meyersdale Pennsylvania.

The Western Maryland Lift Bridge is across the top of this photo. The truss is obstructed by a pedestrian bridge on this side.

Seimen Burum, Sep 2024

Metrotrails posted

Approaching the pony-Pratt iron truss bridge carrying Salisbury Street to River Bottom Park across the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. The bridge was built in 1879 by Baltimore engineer Wendell Bollman's Patapsco Bridge and Ironworks. 

There are very few remaining Bollman bridges today. Another is in Savage, Maryland, and another is on Great Allegheny Passage near Meyersdale Pennsylvania.

Metrotrails shared

Stress-Ribbon Footbridge over Fish Creek in Calgary, CA

(Satellite, I started searching for the bridge at the mouth of Fish Creek so I found quite a few footbridges before I found this one.)

Trail View, Sep 2023

Tanweer Malik posted four photos with the comment: "Stress-ribbon bridges over Fish Creek in Calgary, Canada."

Steve William Lindsey: I feel uncomfortable just looking at it. Doesn't inspire confidence like the Baxter wooden truss bridge in BC, to be demolished tomorrow.

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Tanweer Malik also posted these photos on linked with the comment:

Stress-ribbon bridges over Fish Creek in Calgary. 

“A stress ribbon bridge is a catenary structure in which tightly tensioned cables are embedded within a concrete (or other suitable materials) deck providing a form that allows the deck to be directly loaded (Ref: CSA S7:23 - Pedestrian, cycling, and multiuse bridge design guideline)”.

Unlike girder or truss bridges that typically have an upward camber in the middle to offset the downward deflection, these Stress-ribbon bridges have a funicular profile (due to the hidden cables) with a sag in the middle. The deck is fixed to the abutments.

Sergio Marletta: well well well, the MAIN issue with this type of bridge is psychology. Somehow the brain does not like negative cambers beyond 1/250 of the span. A normal user of the bridge will not understand that the visible camber is required for statics, a normal user might look for another way to cross. Also sensitivity to asymmetric loading will require a very low q/g ratio. Also as highlighted already, there is the horizontal pull on the abutments, making them expensive. Finally high temperature will reduce the clearance below deck. You see it is kinda more negatives than positives. 

Dr. Andreas Felber, P. Eng: They are not suited for heavy loaded vehicles.

"In June 2005 a flood destroyed or heavily damaged 9 of 15 pedestrian structures in Fish Creek Park and also rendered most of the park's pathways destroyed or damaged which made large portions of the park unusable to the public. In December 2005 Stantec Consulting Ltd. was engaged by Alberta Community Development to assess the damage and to develop a strategy to restore the park. During the reorganization of the pathway system the need for 4 new bridges was identified, which needed to be durable, resistant to floods, low in maintenance, and constructible in an environmentally sensitive area. A Stress-Ribbon Bridge was identified to be a suitable bridge type for these criteria. The presentation will concentrate on the design and construction challenges of this bridge type." [ucalgary]

Someone in Canada must like stress-ribbon bridges because there is another one in Edmonton.

2012 Skydance (Scissortail) Footbridge over I-40 in Oklahoma City, OK

(Satellite)

Street View, Feb 2024

Trail View, Nov 2016

okc
"Inspired by Oklahoma’s state bird, the scissor-tailed flycatcher, Skydance bridge soars over Interstate 40. The bridge is a 380-foot-long pedestrian bridge with a 197-foot-tall sculpture." It cost $5.8m.

ColorKinetics

ColorKinetics

William Alter Jr. posted two photos with the comment:

From 2022.

The Sky Dance, or “Scissor Tail” Bridge in OKC. I’ve driven under this so many times over the years I’ve lost count. While I do like the bridge, I think it’s a perfect example of how the wrong setting can mar an otherwise appealing design. To me it always seemed odd, or out of place in its “concrete” jungle setting, especially if you’re traveling on Interstate I-40 which it crosses. Such a bridge would have been better off by itself in a park as a standalone structure. 

Just my opinion…

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1895c1986c Lost/Monon and 1890,2011 Tioga Road Bridges at Monticello, IN

Monon: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

Tioga: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

Darin Patrick posted four photos with the comment:

Dear Friends. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Today often reminds me of my youth and high school track practice.  

And our annual St. Patrick’s Day plunge off the Monon Bridge! 

During my illustrious high school track career of the mid 80’s, on St. Patrick’s Day the track team would run down to the Monon rail line bridge that crossed the Tippecanoe river just north of Highway 421 coming into Monticello (see photo 4). 

The Sportsman Inn can been seen in the far left of the Photo.

The Plunge participants would leave the track, run 1.5 miles down to the bridge, leap off the top, then run back to the high school. Oddly enough this annual practice was coach approved. As Solomon said, with every time there is a season, and with every season there comes changes in coaching practices…lol

But as we used to say on the run back to the high school…. May misfortune follow you all the days of your life, but never catch up!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 

I took these photos some years later, before they demolished the bridge. Enjoy the view.

Darin Patrick shared with the comment: "Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Monon rail fans."

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The US-421 Bridge had a lot more character back then.

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Note the road bridge behind it. And this image clearly shows that the truss was pin connected.

BridgeHunter

1910 Postcard via BridgeHunter

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Tioga Road Bridge

2013 Photo by Tony Dillon via BridgeHunter, cropped

Note the railroad bridge behind it.

1910c Postcard via Bridge Hunter

HistoricBridges
When this was restored in 2011 as a footbridge, it recreated the original ornamentation and railings. I added the label "bridgeRare" because Nathan says Whipple truss bridges are rare, especially multi-span bridges.

Paul Fischer, Dec 2012

Street View, Oct 2023

Bonus

Neil Riley commented on Darin's share
Would this be the same bridge? Pictures from when my father was a remc lineman that went to white county to assist after tornadoes in the early seventies.

Dennis DeBruler: Neil Riley Judging from the piers and girders, this looks like the TP&W/Pennsy bridge, https://maps.app.goo.gl/oaLyaqpvkZ9MFCRH9.