The bridge was built by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton, Ohio, in 1891. A local crew assembled it with iron connecting pins, a method unique to the nineteenth century. The bridge was at the site of the town of Dover, a mill town of which little currently remains.[2]
In late 1992, a drunk driver crashed into an end post on the bridge, resulting in its closure for part of 1993.[3][4] Residents complained about having to detour a significant distance, so the bridge was reopened by the county road commission with a 4-short-ton (3.6 t) weight limit, preventing its use by heavy vehicles.[3][4] However, abutment stones continued to dislodge themselves, and the bridge was again closed to traffic.[4] In 1995, the road commission requested funds from the state's Critical Bridge Fund for the replacement of the bridge with a two-lane concrete structure. However, residents wished to see the bridge repaired, and they successfully convinced the road commission to not seek a replacement.[3] They also pushed for listing the bridge on the National Register of Historic Places;[3] the bridge was listed on November 29, 1996.[5] It is the third oldest known bridge built by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company still in existence.[6] It is also one of about ten metal through truss bridges in Michigan that date from the nineteenth century.[2]
By 1997, the abutments were in such poor condition that it was feared that the bridge would be washed away in a spring flood, so it was removed from its abutments and placed on the southeastern riverbank.[3][7] Since it was moved to the riverbank, the bridge has become overgrown with brush.[3] On June 17, 1997, it was designated a Michigan State Historic Site and an informational marker was erected on February 2, 1999.[2] Because of the bridge's deteriorated state, its National Register of Historic Places plaque is located not on the bridge, but in the garage of resident Bill Klinke.[3]
On February 17, 2015, Dexter Township relinquished its right of first refusal to keep ownership of the bridge, allowing another municipality interested in relocating and rehabbing it for pedestrian use along the Border to Border trail to claim it.[8]
In 2018, the bridge was relocated to a storage facility in Holt, Michigan to await repair and potential reuse as part of the Border-to-Border Trail.[9]
Designedit
The bridge is a single-span, one-lane Pratt through truss.[2][4] It is 103 feet 6 inches (31.55 m) long and 13 feet 5 inches (4.09 m) wide. Its abutments are made of fieldstone. Prior to removal from its abutments, the bridge carried Bell Road over the Huron River.[2]
^ abcdefStaff. "Bell Road Bridge". State Historic Preservation Office. Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Archived from the original on December 24, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
^ abcdefgShackman, Grace (Spring 2009). "Bridge to the 19th Century". Ann Arbor Observer. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
^ abcdShackman, Grace (September 1995). "The Historic Bell Road Bridge". Ann Arbor Observer. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
^"Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 11/25/96 Through 11/29/96". National Register of Historic Places. US Department of the Interior. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
^"Bell Rd. / Huron River". Michigan's Historic Bridges. Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
^Google (November 19, 2012). "Bell Road Bridge" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
^Baird, Melinda (February 27, 2015). "Property assessments and bridge discussed at Dexter Township Board meeting". The Sun Times News.
^Larson, Lucas (October 16, 2022). "131-year-old bridge could get new life as part of Washtenaw County Border-to-Border Trail". MLive Ann Arbor. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
January 01, 1970
bell, road, bridge, pratt, through, truss, bridge, dexter, township, washtenaw, county, michigan, built, 1891, bridge, carried, bell, road, over, huron, river, from, 1997, 2018, bridge, riverbank, overgrown, with, brush, bridge, michigan, state, historic, site. The Bell Road Bridge is a Pratt through truss bridge in Dexter Township Washtenaw County Michigan Built in 1891 the bridge carried Bell Road over the Huron River From 1997 to 2018 the bridge sat on the riverbank overgrown with brush The bridge is a Michigan State Historic Site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places Bell Road BridgeBridge on land in overgrown brush in 2010Coordinates42 24 05 N 83 54 31 W 42 4015 N 83 9086 W 42 4015 83 9086CharacteristicsTotal length103 feet 6 inches 31 55 m Width13 feet 5 inches 4 09 m Bell Road BridgeU S National Register of Historic PlacesMichigan State Historic SiteShow map of MichiganShow map of the United StatesBuilt1891NRHP reference No 96001380 1 Significant datesAdded to NRHPNovember 29 1996Designated MSHSJune 17 1997LocationReferences 2 Contents 1 History 2 Design 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory editThe bridge was built by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton Ohio in 1891 A local crew assembled it with iron connecting pins a method unique to the nineteenth century The bridge was at the site of the town of Dover a mill town of which little currently remains 2 In late 1992 a drunk driver crashed into an end post on the bridge resulting in its closure for part of 1993 3 4 Residents complained about having to detour a significant distance so the bridge was reopened by the county road commission with a 4 short ton 3 6 t weight limit preventing its use by heavy vehicles 3 4 However abutment stones continued to dislodge themselves and the bridge was again closed to traffic 4 In 1995 the road commission requested funds from the state s Critical Bridge Fund for the replacement of the bridge with a two lane concrete structure However residents wished to see the bridge repaired and they successfully convinced the road commission to not seek a replacement 3 They also pushed for listing the bridge on the National Register of Historic Places 3 the bridge was listed on November 29 1996 5 It is the third oldest known bridge built by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company still in existence 6 It is also one of about ten metal through truss bridges in Michigan that date from the nineteenth century 2 By 1997 the abutments were in such poor condition that it was feared that the bridge would be washed away in a spring flood so it was removed from its abutments and placed on the southeastern riverbank 3 7 Since it was moved to the riverbank the bridge has become overgrown with brush 3 On June 17 1997 it was designated a Michigan State Historic Site and an informational marker was erected on February 2 1999 2 Because of the bridge s deteriorated state its National Register of Historic Places plaque is located not on the bridge but in the garage of resident Bill Klinke 3 On February 17 2015 Dexter Township relinquished its right of first refusal to keep ownership of the bridge allowing another municipality interested in relocating and rehabbing it for pedestrian use along the Border to Border trail to claim it 8 In 2018 the bridge was relocated to a storage facility in Holt Michigan to await repair and potential reuse as part of the Border to Border Trail 9 Design editThe bridge is a single span one lane Pratt through truss 2 4 It is 103 feet 6 inches 31 55 m long and 13 feet 5 inches 4 09 m wide Its abutments are made of fieldstone Prior to removal from its abutments the bridge carried Bell Road over the Huron River 2 See also edit nbsp Michigan portal nbsp National Register of Historic Places portal nbsp Transport portal nbsp Engineering portal List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan National Register of Historic Places listings in Washtenaw County MichiganReferences edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 13 2009 a b c d e f Staff Bell Road Bridge State Historic Preservation Office Michigan State Housing Development Authority Archived from the original on December 24 2012 Retrieved November 5 2012 a b c d e f g Shackman Grace Spring 2009 Bridge to the 19th Century Ann Arbor Observer Retrieved November 5 2012 a b c d Shackman Grace September 1995 The Historic Bell Road Bridge Ann Arbor Observer Retrieved November 8 2012 Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties 11 25 96 Through 11 29 96 National Register of Historic Places US Department of the Interior Retrieved November 5 2012 Bell Rd Huron River Michigan s Historic Bridges Michigan Department of Transportation Retrieved November 8 2012 Google November 19 2012 Bell Road Bridge Map Google Maps Google Retrieved November 19 2012 Baird Melinda February 27 2015 Property assessments and bridge discussed at Dexter Township Board meeting The Sun Times News Larson Lucas October 16 2022 131 year old bridge could get new life as part of Washtenaw County Border to Border Trail MLive Ann Arbor Retrieved April 20 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bell Road Bridge amp oldid 1171863163, wikipedia, 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