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This enormous vertical lift bridge had the longest lift span in the world for many years and is also noted for its ornamental detailing. The bridge features large, beautiful riveted finials on top of the towers, and an ornamental portal brace cresting that includes the logo of the Army Corps of Engineers. The bridge replaced what may have been the first Strauss heel-trunnion bascule bridge ever built, which dated to 1910 and was a much shorter span than this bridge. The lift bridge was the longest lift span in the world until the 1959 completion of the Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridge, which has a slightly longer span of 558 feet. Parsons, Klapp, Brinckerhoff and Douglas of New York City, New York was the designing engineer, but they worked with movable bridge design experts J.A.L. Waddell and Shortridge Hardesty.
View YouTube video showing a bridge crossing by train.
View YouTube video showing the lift bridge raising and lowering.
View YouTube video showing the bridge lowering.
Above: Historical photo showing previous bascule bridge at this location.
Historical photos below are from the Nina Heald Webber Cape Cod Canal collection.
Above: Historical photo showing previous bascule bridge at this location.
Above: Drawing of bridge.
Above: Historical photo showing bridge construction.
Above: Historical photo showing bridge construction.
Above: Historical photo showing newly completed bridge with construction crew.
Above: Historical bearing ad featuring bridge.
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