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Old Bridge Road Bridge

Iowa Bridge Number 220430

Old Bridge Road Bridge

Primary Photographer(s): Nathan Holth and Rick McOmber

Bridge Documented: July 2, 2009

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Facility Carried / Feature Intersected
Old Bridge Road Over Prairie Creek
Location
Near Cedar Rapids: Linn County, Iowa: United States
Construction Date and Builder / Engineer
1906 By Builder/Contractor: Indiana Bridge Company of Muncie, Indiana
Rehabilitation Date
1989
Main Span Length
100.0 Feet (30.5 Meters)
Structure Length
102.0 Feet (31.1 Meters)
Roadway Width
14.4 Feet (4.39 Meters)
Spans
1 Main Span(s)
Inventory Number
220430

Historic Significance Rating (HSR)
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Bridge Documentation

View Archived National Bridge Inventory Report - Has Additional Details and Evaluation

View Indiana Bridge Company History and Available Research Materials From Ball State University

This bridge was built by a noteworthy and long-lived bridge company. Formed in 1886 by the purchase of the Indianapolis Bridge Company and relocation of that company from Indianapolis, Indiana to Muncie, Indiana, the Indiana Bridge Company appears to be one of the few bridge companies from this period that is still in business today. Pictured to the left is an advertisement for the Indiana Bridge Company in 1893. The ad appeared in a magazine called "Paving and Municipal Engineering." The Indiana Bridge Company was very prolific particularly in its home state of Indiana. However surviving examples of the bridge company's work in other states such as Iowa are becoming uncommon.

The Old Bridge Road Bridge is a good representative example of the work being done by the Indiana Bridge Company in the early 20th Century. As a 1906 Pratt through truss with pinned connections, the bridge is typical of of a late example of a pin-connected truss bridge. In 1906 pin-connections were increasingly giving way to riveted connections due to the newfound ability to field rivet more easily. However pin-connected truss bridges continued to be built as well especially during the first 10 years of the 20th Century.

The composition of the truss is as follows: Panels: Six. Top chord and end post: back-to-back channels with cover plate and v-lacing. Hip verticals: loop-forged eyebars. Other verticals: back-to-back channels with v-lacing on each side. Bottom chord: loop-forged eyebars. Portal bracing: Traditional A-frame composed of single and paired angles. Sway bracing: unusually configured lightweight design including riveted angles. Lateral bracing: rod. Floor beams: Rolled American Standard Beams (i-beams). Railing: Modern Armco guardrails, no original railing. Deck: wooden deck with no additional wearing surface.

The bridge does not have paint on it and the bridge has rusted, however the bridge does not seem to exhibit significant/severe section loss or pack rust, particularly at the bottom chord connections which would typically display these problems on a bridge especially a bridge like this one that is likely built of steel and not rust-resistant wrought iron. The relatively good condition of this bridge is likely due to its location on a quiet rural road that does not see corrosive de-icing salts.

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Maps and Links: Old Bridge Road Bridge

Coordinates (Latitude, Longitude):

Search For Additional Bridge Listings:

Bridgehunter.com: View listed bridges within 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) of this bridge.

Bridgehunter.com: View listed bridges within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of this bridge.

HistoricBridges.org Bridge Browser: View listed bridges within 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) of this bridge.

HistoricBridges.org Bridge Browser: View listed bridges within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of this bridge.

2021 National Bridge Inventory: View listed bridges within 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) of this bridge.

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