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River Road Bridge

Primary Photographer(s): Nathan Holth

Bridge Documented: June 23, 2006

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Facility Carried / Feature Intersected
River Road Over Ausable River Cut

Location
Rural: Middlesex County, Ontario: Canada

Structure Type
Metal 7 Panel Rivet-Connected Pratt Through Truss, Fixed

Construction Date and Builder / Engineer
By Builder/Contractor: Unknown

Rehabilitation Date
Not Available or Not Applicable

Main Span Length
100.0 Feet (30.5 Meters)

Structure Length
100.0 Feet (30.5 Meters)

Roadway Width
Not Available

Spans
1 Main Span(s)

Inventory Number
Not Applicable

Historic Significance Rating (HSR)
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Bridge Documentation

Some Area History First

Steve Loxton provided the following information about the history of the Ausable River and the Cut.

This truss bridge crosses 'The Cut' at it's east end, where it intersects the Ausable River. It became redundant when the county filled part of the old Ausable channel, just north of the cut, to create a crossing for River Rd. which originally crossed the bridge. It's blocked with barricades now.

The Cut was dug by hand in the 1800s to drain the Thedford Marsh and two shallow lakes. The Ausable couldn't find an outlet to Lake Huron because of the sand dunes along the lake shore, so it originally flowed north to Grand Bend, before doubling back (hence the name), through the Pinery, between the dunes, until it found an outlet at Port Franks. A shorter cut, was dug later at 'The Bend', which created a harbour and now allows Parkhill Creek (originally a tributary of the Ausable) to drain directly into the lake. So now, from the cut to 'the Devil's Elbow' (where Parkhill creek meets it), the Ausable channel is 'dead' and has mostly silted in and is filled with trees. But, it still provides habitat for frogs, etc. There's also a cut-off section in the pinery, but it's spring fed with fresh water and is still vibrant and canoeable...

About The Bridge

This is a picturesque Pratt through truss with riveted connections. It features lattice railings, and the portal bracing is also a lattice design, with attractive curved knee-bracing making up part of it. V-lacing can be found under the top chord and on the vertical members. The sway bracing is an a-frame design. The deck and abutments for the bridge are concrete. The bridge has been closed to traffic for some time, but as Steve points out, this is more because it was not needed more than anything. This bridge retains more than enough structural integrity to be restored for pedestrian traffic. It should be restored, as it is a very attractive bridge.

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