The Charles Berry Bridge, in Lorain, Ohio along U.S. Route 6 (US 6), is the second-largest

bascule bridge A bascule bridge (also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- o ...

in the world. It was dedicated on

Veterans Day Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces (who were discharged under conditions other than d ...

in 1988. The bridge had been built in the late 1930s and in use for roughly 48 years before extensive rehabilitation was finished and the bridge was officially renamed in honor of Lorain native Charles J. Berry, a Marine who was awarded the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

for his actions during a minor grenade battle on Iwo Jima. During its construction, the Erie Avenue Bridge (as it was formerly called) was the largest bascule bridge in the world.A Brief History: The Charles Berry Bascule Bridge

Lorain County, Ohio Lorain County is a county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 312,964. Its county seat is Elyria. The county was physically established in 1822, becoming judicially independent in 1824 ...

. Retrieved May 20, 2013. and is now considered to be the second-largest. The

Ohio Department of Transportation The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT; ) is the administrative department of the Ohio state government responsible for developing and maintaining all state and U.S. roadways outside of municipalities and all Interstates except the Ohio T ...

(ODOT) agreed in 1989 to cover funding for the bridge which saves Lorain county nearly half a million

US dollars The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

per year. The Charles Berry Bridge is one of only three bridges in

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

that the ODOT will currently fund. The Charles Berry Bridge is one of the primary methods of transportation between the east and west of Lorain across Black River along with the Lofton Henderson Memorial Bridge which is also named after a native of Lorain who was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism at the historic Battle of Midway.

References

External links

{{Commons category
Official website
Bascule bridges in the United States Buildings and structures in Lorain, Ohio Bridges completed in 1988 Transportation in Lorain County, Ohio Road bridges in Ohio U.S. Route 6 Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System

See also

References

External links