OH-715 Walhonding River Bridge

Information and Findings From Ohio's Historic Bridge Inventory

Setting/Context

The bridge once carried a 2-lane state highway over a river in a rural, wooded setting. It has been bypassed by a modern road to the north, but it is accessible for pedestrian use. There is a parking area at the west end of the bridge, which is closed to traffic and bypassed, is located in a rural setting.

Physical Description

The 2 span, 406'-long, pin-connected Pennsylvania thru truss bridge has built-up compression members and eyebar tension members.

Integrity

Bypassed, ca. 2004 and left in place. The only observed change from the original design is the steel open grid deck.

Summary of Significance

"The 1914 pin-connected Pennsylvania thru truss bridge is a later but complete example of its type/design with typical period details. The bridge has been bypassed and left in place. There have been no significant changes to the integrity of design or materials since the prior inventory and the bridge was last field checked by ODOT in 2006. It is eligible from the prior ODOT inventory. The Pennsylvania truss type/design, also sometimes referred to as a Pettit truss, is a subdivided Pratt truss with polygonal upper chord that was developed in the 1870s for use as a long-span bridge with heavy locomotives. The Pennsylvania Railroad popularized the form (hence the name), and Henry Pettit, an engineer in the employ of the railroad, became associated with it. It was not, however, used exclusively by the Pennsylvania RR being a very popular railroad and later highway truss design. Lighter pin-connected Pennsylvania truss highway bridges were built from the 1880s to 1910s, and the design also made the transition to heavier, rivet-connected designs of the mid 20th century. The truss's main advantages are an economical use of material provided by the sloped upper chord and the added stiffness provided by the substruts and ties in longer spans. Span lengths of up to 300 ft. are not uncommon. Ohio has eight identified examples dating from 1888 to 1939. Post-1900 examples are less significant than earlier examples, but they may illustrate important refinements, such as the use of riveted connections or rolled section members."

Justification

The late example of a pin connected thru truss is one of 13 extant examples of bridges with polygonal upper chords and/or subdivided panels in the state that date from 1888 until 1923. It is of moderate significance given that the numbers in the population.

Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: Yes