The first bridge to span the Pawtuxet River at this location was an early nineteenth century wooden bridge, located in the city of Cranston. In 1887, a special resolution was passed changing the Coventry-Cranston border to the Pawtuxet River. A new iron bridge was commissioned in 1888 by a joint building committee from both Coventry and Cranston and the responsibility for maintenance of the new bridge was to be shared by both municipalities.[2]
The bridge was built in 1888 by Dean & Westbrook for the Town of Coventry and the Interlaken Mills[3] (later known as the Arkwright Mills). It is the longest surviving 19th century truss bridge in Rhode Island,[4] and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
The bridge is 128 feet, 6 inches long; 19 feet, 7 inches wide; and has and a depth of truss of 21 feet. The bridge is a single-span, through Pratt truss, built using Phoenix columns.
In 2004, there was a proposal to move the Arkwright Bridge to another location along the Pawtuxet River along the border of West Warwick, Rhode Island to be part of a proposed West Warwick Riverwalk. The bridge was ultimately not moved.[5]
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation recommended closure of the locally owned bridge, and following an inspection, determined that the weight limit should be reduced to less than 3 tons from the previous 5 tons. Both communities closed the 123-year-old span on Friday, September 30, 2011.[6][7][8] The bridge continues to be a popular jumping and swimming spot for local youth, with approximately 12 feet of air and an average 15 feet of water. The bridge was closed to pedestrians in 2011 due to infrastructure budget cuts.
^"Great American Bridges and Dams: A National Trust Guide" by Donald C. Jackson - 1988, pg. 101 (accessed on Google Books)
^Scudder, Tracy (13 July 2004). "Arkwright Bridge to move?". Kent County Daily Times.
^"Traffic Advisory: Arkwright Bridge to close". Rhode Island Department of Transportation. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
^Costa, Lauren (30 September 2011). "Arkwright Bridge Ordered Closed by RIDOT". Coventry Patch. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
^Schieldrop, Mark (29 September 2011). "Arkwright Bridge Will Close, Ending 123-years of Service". Cranston Patch. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
January 01, 1970
arkwright, bridge, abandoned, historic, bridge, formerly, carrying, hill, street, over, pawtuxet, river, arkwright, mill, village, central, rhode, island, river, forms, border, between, cranston, coventry, historic, plaque, national, register, historic, places. The Arkwright Bridge is an abandoned historic bridge formerly carrying Hill Street over the Pawtuxet River in the Arkwright mill village in central Rhode Island The river forms the border between Cranston and Coventry Historic Arkwright Bridge plaque Arkwright BridgeU S National Register of Historic PlacesArkwright BridgeShow map of Rhode IslandShow map of the United StatesNearest cityCoventry Rhode IslandCoordinates41 43 49 N 71 32 49 W 41 73028 N 71 54694 W 41 73028 71 54694Built1888ArchitectDean amp WestbrookArchitectural stylePratt TrussNRHP reference No 78000061 1 Added to NRHPDecember 12 1978 Arkwright Bridge over the Pawtuxet River in 2018 The first bridge to span the Pawtuxet River at this location was an early nineteenth century wooden bridge located in the city of Cranston In 1887 a special resolution was passed changing the Coventry Cranston border to the Pawtuxet River A new iron bridge was commissioned in 1888 by a joint building committee from both Coventry and Cranston and the responsibility for maintenance of the new bridge was to be shared by both municipalities 2 The bridge was built in 1888 by Dean amp Westbrook for the Town of Coventry and the Interlaken Mills 3 later known as the Arkwright Mills It is the longest surviving 19th century truss bridge in Rhode Island 4 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 The bridge is 128 feet 6 inches long 19 feet 7 inches wide and has and a depth of truss of 21 feet The bridge is a single span through Pratt truss built using Phoenix columns In 2004 there was a proposal to move the Arkwright Bridge to another location along the Pawtuxet River along the border of West Warwick Rhode Island to be part of a proposed West Warwick Riverwalk The bridge was ultimately not moved 5 The Rhode Island Department of Transportation recommended closure of the locally owned bridge and following an inspection determined that the weight limit should be reduced to less than 3 tons from the previous 5 tons Both communities closed the 123 year old span on Friday September 30 2011 6 7 8 The bridge continues to be a popular jumping and swimming spot for local youth with approximately 12 feet of air and an average 15 feet of water The bridge was closed to pedestrians in 2011 due to infrastructure budget cuts See also edit nbsp Transport portal nbsp Engineering portal nbsp Rhode Island portal National Register of Historic Places listings in Providence County Rhode Island National Register of Historic Places listings in Kent County Rhode Island List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode IslandReferences edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service January 23 2007 Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission 1978 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form PDF pp 2 3 Information taken from bridge sign Great American Bridges and Dams A National Trust Guide by Donald C Jackson 1988 pg 101 accessed on Google Books Scudder Tracy 13 July 2004 Arkwright Bridge to move Kent County Daily Times Traffic Advisory Arkwright Bridge to close Rhode Island Department of Transportation Retrieved 31 October 2011 Costa Lauren 30 September 2011 Arkwright Bridge Ordered Closed by RIDOT Coventry Patch Retrieved 10 September 2012 Schieldrop Mark 29 September 2011 Arkwright Bridge Will Close Ending 123 years of Service Cranston Patch Retrieved 10 September 2012 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Arkwright Bridge amp oldid 1208961362, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
