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Orange Road Bridge

Orange Road Bridge

Primary Photographer(s): Nathan Holth and Rick McOmber

Bridge Documented: March 2, 2007 and June 20, 2010

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Facility Carried / Feature Intersected
Orange Road Over Olentangy River
Location
Rural: Delaware County, Ohio: United States
Construction Date and Builder / Engineer
1898 By Builder/Contractor: Toledo Bridge Company of Toledo, Ohio (Former Smith Bridge Company of Toledo, Ohio)
Rehabilitation Date
1970
Main Span Length
180.0 Feet (54.9 Meters)
Structure Length
182.0 Feet (55.5 Meters)
Roadway Width
16 Feet (4.88 Meters)
Spans
1 Main Span(s)
Inventory Number
2132184

Historic Significance Rating (HSR)
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Bridge Documentation

This bridge's future is at risk!

Bridge Status: This historic bridge has been bypassed, but its fate remains in question, and demolition is a possibility!

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

Overview of Bridge

This breathtaking bridge was built in 1898 by the Toledo Bridge Company (which was originally the Smith Bridge Company). Abutments are original stone at the west end of the bridge, while the east end of the bridge has a concrete abutment. The bridge retains a remarkable amount of historic integrity, including original floor beams and lattice railings, as well as builder and commissioner plaques remaining on the bridge. The bridge is a nine panel structure. It features attractive v-lacing on the sway bracing, under the top chord / end post, as well as on the vertical members. Lattice is present on the portal bracing and on the railings.

The Orange Road Bridge is a very long example of a single-span pin-connected Pratt through truss. It is uncommon to find a traditional late 19th century pin-connected Pratt truss at this length. As a function of its length, it features taller, impressive trusses that feature a more complex network of sway bracing that more commonly shows up in Whipple truss which were often more preferred for spans of this length.

The first section of bottom chord (between the end post and the hip vertical) is not the standard eye bar but is instead an unusual built-up beam that has an unusual corrugated form of v-lacing (sometimes called ribbon lacing). Historic bridge expert David Simmons believes that this is due to the unique elevated position of the bridge, relative to the approaching road. He believes that the Toledo Bridge Company did this to add support to the bridge as the angle at which vehicles would enter the bridge would be different due to the elevated position. It should also be noted that railroad bridges sometimes display this detail as well.

Structural Condition

 Unfortunately, the flooring system (floor beams and deck stringers) on this bridge are in poor condition. This is a typical trouble spot for a truss bridge, however, and is possible to easilly correct through a preservation project. The remainder of the truss superstructure is in good condition however, and would take to a rehabilitation project quite well. The stone abutment at the west end of the bridge has lost much of its mortar, and the stones have begun to separate. Again however, this could be corrected as part of a restoration project.

A Fate Uncertain!

This bridge was bypassed in 2009 by a new bridge on a different alignment. The bridge was left standing next to its replacement, but has remained at risk of demolition. The historic bridge has a lot of support from the community who do not want this beautiful historic bridge reduced to scrap metal, but for whatever reason the Delaware County Engineer does not want to leave the bridge standing where it is, and has threatened to demolish it numerous times. Therefore, for some time now, efforts have been underway to raise money and arrange to relocate and preserve the bridge elsewhere. As of May 2013, the plan was to move the bridge to cross Wildcat Run in Liberty Township Park, located at the southwest corner of Home and Liberty roads. As November 2013, efforts are apparently still underway to raise funds to relocate the bridge. If you are interested in helping save this bridge through a donation, donations can be made to the Liberty Township Foundation Fund's Liberty Bridges Fund.

Until funds are fully secured to relocate the bridge, this historic bridge should be considered to be at risk for demolition.

Ideas For A Restoration Project

It is imperative to retain the historic integrity of the bridge. In particular, leaving the original railings on the bridge is of great importance. If modern safety railings are needed, they should produce a minimal visual impact on the bridge and can be placed in front of the original railings without having to remove the original railings. It is also important that a restoration respect the original design of the bridge. If rivets have failed on the bridge, they should be replaced with rivets. There are contractors who have restored bridges and know how to rivet. If the floor beams need to be replaced, they should be replicated. The floor beams on Orange Road Bridge are American Standard Beams, and as such if replaced, they should not be replaced with wide flange beams. American Standard Beams are still manufactured, and are available for bridge restorations.

Information and Findings From Ohio's Historic Bridge Inventory

Setting/Context

The bridge carries a 2 lane road over a stream in a rural setting with scattered 20th century residences.

Physical Description

The 1 span, 182'-long pin-connected Pratt thru truss bridge is traditionally composed of built-up compression members and eye bar or rod tension members. Due to the length, it has sub-lateral struts and bracing for extra stiffening.

Integrity

Relocated in 1913. Stringers and deck replaced in 1970.

Summary of Significance

The 1898 Pratt thru truss bridge is a fine and long-span example of this period type/design. There has been no significant change in the bridge's status since the prior inventory other than it will be closed and bypassed by a new bridge. The bridge was NR listed in 2002.

Pratt trusses were undoubtedly the most popular truss design of the last quarter of the 19th century and continued to be built into the 20th century, although eventually superseded in popularity by Warren trusses. The design, which initially was a combination of wood compression and iron tension members, was patented in 1844 by Thomas & Caleb Pratt. Ohio has three covered bridges that use this combination configuration, but they are all modern reconstructions based on the Pratt patent. The great advantage of the Pratt over other designs was the relative ease of calculating the distribution of stresses. More significantly, it translated well into an all-metal design in lengths of less than 200'. Significant surviving examples of all-metal Pratt trusses mostly date to the last quarter of the 19th century, and they are found with thru, pony, and the less common bedstead configuration. Prior to about 1890, a variety of panel point connections were in widespread use (including bolts, cast-iron pieces, and pins), but engineering opinion was coalescing around pins as the most efficient and constructible. Many of the connection details were proprietary and associated with individual builders or companies, and thus earlier examples are generally taken to be technologically significant in showing the evolution of the design. Later post-1890 Pratt trusses show a progression toward less variation in their details such that by 1900 the design was quite formulaic with few significant differences between the designs of various builders. This marked the end of the pin-connected Pratt's technological evolution and, in fact, it was soon waning and eclipsed in the highway bridge market by more rigid, rivet-connected truss designs, particularly the Warren but also riveted Pratts. The transition to riveted connections, which happened even earlier with railroads than highways, was in no small part due to concerns about stress reversals at the pins under heavier loads and improvements in pneumatic field riveting equipment in the early 1900s. In Ohio, Pratt truss highway bridges, whether pinned or riveted, were almost always built under the auspices of counties and local units of government; the Pratt was not a standard design of the state highway department.

In Ohio, there are 185 Pratt trusses dating from ca. 1874 to 1945 with at least 60 dating prior to 1900 (Phase 1A, 2008). The technologically significant unaltered examples of pin-connected Pratt trusses for the most part date prior to 1900 and have documented or attributed builders and dates of construction and/or significant connection or member details. Later post-1900 examples are less technologically significant. Significant unaltered examples of riveted-connected Pratt trusses date from ca. 1900 to 1915.

Justification

The bridge is one of over 150 extant pin-connected truss bridges dating from 1874 for pony trusses and 1876 for thru trusses. Twenty six predate 1888 and represent the era of experimentation that evolved into standardized designs by about 1888. This example has moderate significance because the genre and the fabricator are so well represented in Ohio.

Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: Yes


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

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Photo Galleries and Videos: Orange Road Bridge

 

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For the best visual immersion and full detail, or for use as a desktop background, this gallery presents selected overview and detail photos for this bridge in the original digital camera resolution. This gallery offers photos in the highest available resolution and file size in a touch-friendly popup viewer.
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Structure Overview

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Structure Details

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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: Orange 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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