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Ganson Street Bridge

Ganson Street Bridge

Primary Photographer(s): Nathan Holth

Bridge Documented: May 21, 2009 and June 28, 2022

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Facility Carried / Feature Intersected
Ganson Street Over Grand River
Location
Jackson: Jackson County, Michigan: United States
Construction Date and Builder / Engineer
1956 By Builder/Contractor: Lamar Pipe and Tile Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Rehabilitation Date
Not Available or Not Applicable
Main Span Length
39.4 Feet (12 Meters)
Structure Length
39.4 Feet (12 Meters)
Roadway Width
46 Feet (14.02 Meters)
Spans
1 Main Span(s)
Inventory Number
384345000070B01

Historic Significance Rating (HSR)
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Bridge Documentation

This bridge's future is at risk!

Bridge Status: At risk for demolition and replacement under Local Agency Bridge Bundling Program!

The bridge retains original and unaltered R4 style railings. It displays the less common R4 railing design which uses metal posts instead of concrete posts.

This bridge is one of the oldest examples of a pre-stressed concrete bridge in Michigan, with a 1956 construction date. Because of this fact, the bridge was highlighted in the most recent update to Michigan's Historic Bridge Inventory and is considered eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

Pre-stressed concrete was a material and construction method that would go on to become the most common form of bridge construction in the late 20th Century and to the present day. As such, the material has a rather wicked reputation among historic bridge enthusiasts since this form of bridge is what is used to demolish and replace historic bridges.

Interestingly, the bridge's deck and superstructure is listed in "poor" condition in the National Bridge Inventory and evaluated as structurally deficient. This bridge hardly made it past 50 years before gaining this evaluation. This calls into serious question claims made by some states like Pennsylvania who claim that historic truss bridges should be demolished and replaced with modern bridges because the new bridges require less maintenance and will last 100 years. Pre-stressed concrete is not a miracle material, is not an excuse to demolish historic bridges, and  it deteriorates just like any bridge material especially as long as salt is used to deice roads. The Ganson Street Bridge suggests that pre-stressed concrete is far less long-lived than the steel and concrete found in many historic bridges.

This bridge was formally found eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places by Michigan Department of Transportation during a 2007 update of the Historic Bridge Inventory.

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

View Historic Bridge Inventory Sheet For This Bridge


This bridge is tagged with the following special condition(s): Unorganized Photos

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Photo Galleries and Videos: Ganson Street Bridge

 

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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.
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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.
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View Photo Gallery

Additional Unorganized Photos

Original / Full Size Photos
A supplemental collection of photos that are from additional visit(s) to the bridge and have not been organized or captioned. This gallery offers photos in the highest available resolution and file size in a touch-friendly popup viewer.
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View Photo Gallery

Additional Unorganized Photos

Mobile Optimized Photos
A supplemental collection of photos that are from additional visit(s) to the bridge and have not been organized or captioned. This gallery features data-friendly, fast-loading photos in a touch-friendly popup viewer.
Alternatively, Browse Without Using Viewer

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Maps and Links: Ganson 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.

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