HistoricBridges.org Menu: HistoricBridges.org Menu:


We Recommend:
Bach Steel - Experts at historic truss bridge restoration.

HistoricBridges.org: Bridge Browser

US-522 Main Street Bridge

US-522 Main Street Bridge

Primary Photographer(s): Nathan Holth and Rick McOmber

Bridge Documented: July 15, 2011

View Photos
and Videos
View Maps
and Links

Location
Hancock: Washington County, Maryland: United States
Construction Date and Builder / Engineer
1937 By Builder/Contractor: George B. Hazelwood of Cumberland, Maryland and Engineer/Design: Maryland State Roads Commission
Rehabilitation Date
1980
Main Span Length
160.0 Feet (48.8 Meters)
Structure Length
586.0 Feet (178.6 Meters)
Roadway Width
24 Feet (7.32 Meters)
Spans
4 Main Span(s)
Inventory Number
100000210124010

Historic Significance Rating (HSR)
View Information About HSR Ratings

Bridge Documentation

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

View The Historic Bridge Inventory Report For This Bridge

View Historical Articles About This Bridge

This bridge is both a rare example of a bridge using the Wichert truss design, which relates to the unusual detail over the piers. However, the overall structure type is a deck plate girder. As such, the bridge is a very rare example of a hybrid girder and truss bridge. South of this bridge a larger all-truss Wichert truss bridge is present.

Information and Findings From Maryland's Historic Bridge Inventory

Discussion of Wichert Trusses

The Wichert Truss During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many variants of the Pratt and Warren truss designs were developed and put into service on United States roads and railroads. An additional significant twentieth century truss type which deserves mention is the Wichert truss, which was utilized in several important bridges built in Maryland.

The Wichert truss is a significant type of continuous truss. Continuous trusses have a chord and web configuration that continues uninterrupted over one or more intermediate supports, compared with simply supported trusses which are supported only at each end. Due to concerns over potential stresses caused by intermediate pier settlement, continuous trusses were not generally employed until the early twentieth century. In 1930, E.M. Wichert of Pittsburgh addressed the problem with his Wichert truss, a continuous truss in which hinged quadrilateral sections were included over the intermediate piers. Wichert's first major truss bridge constructed to this design was the 1937 Homestead High Level Bridge over the Monongahela River at Pittsburgh.

Maryland State Roads Commission engineers, noting the usefulness of the Wichert design for long river spans, built an early example of the Wichert truss between 1937 and 1939, in cooperation with the West Virginia State Roads Commission. A high-level crossing of the Potomac connecting Shepherdstown, West Virginia, with Washington County, Maryland, this extant 1,020-foot-long structure includes six spans of Wichert continuous deck trusses with a 24-foot clear roadway (Maryland State Roads Commission 1939a:80; Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation 1986:124). In 1939-1940, J.E. Greiner Company and the Maryland State Roads Commission incorporated Wichert-type deck trusses in the Governor Harry Nice Memorial Bridge over the Potomac and the Thomas Hatem Memorial Bridge crossing the Susquehanna at Havre de Grace (J.E. Greiner Company 1938). Continuous deck trusses were also utilized in portions of the first Chesapeake Bay Bridge, built between 1949 and 1952 by Greiner under state contract (Brown 1952:17).

Divider

Photo Galleries and Videos: US-522 Main Street Bridge

 

View Photo Gallery

Bridge Photo-Documentation

Original / Full Size Photos
A collection of overview and detail photos. This gallery offers photos in the highest available resolution and file size in a touch-friendly popup viewer.
Alternatively, Browse Without Using Viewer

Divider

View Photo Gallery

Bridge Photo-Documentation

Mobile Optimized Photos
A collection of overview and detail photos. This gallery features data-friendly, fast-loading photos in a touch-friendly popup viewer.
Alternatively, Browse Without Using Viewer

Divider

Maps and Links: US-522 Main Street 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.

Additional Maps:

Google Maps

Google Streetview (If Available)

Bing Maps

OpenStreetMap

GeoHack (Additional Links and Coordinates)

Apple Maps (Via DuckDuckGo Search)

Apple Maps (Apple devices only)

MapQuest

HERE We Go Maps

ACME Mapper

Waze Map

Android: Open Location In Your Map or GPS App

Flickr Gallery (Find Nearby Photos)

Wikimedia Commons (Find Nearby Photos)

Directions Via Sygic For Android

Directions Via Sygic For iOS and Android Dolphin Browser

USGS National Map (United States Only)

Historical USGS Topo Maps (United States Only)

Historic Aerials (United States Only)

CalTopo Maps (United States Only)


Divider
 
Home Top

Divider

About - Contact

© Copyright 2003-2024, HistoricBridges.org. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer: HistoricBridges.org is a volunteer group of private citizens. HistoricBridges.org is NOT a government agency, does not represent or work with any governmental agencies, nor is it in any way associated with any government agency or any non-profit organization. While we strive for accuracy in our factual content, HistoricBridges.org offers no guarantee of accuracy. Information is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. Information could include technical inaccuracies or errors of omission. Opinions and commentary are the opinions of the respective HistoricBridges.org member who made them and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone else, including any outside photographers whose images may appear on the page in which the commentary appears. HistoricBridges.org does not bear any responsibility for any consequences resulting from the use of this or any other HistoricBridges.org information. Owners and users of bridges have the responsibility of correctly following all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, regardless of any HistoricBridges.org information.

Admin Login

Divider