The East Haddam Swing Bridge is a steel, movable ( swing)

truss bridge A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. The connected elements (typically straight) may be stressed from tension, compression, or ...

. The bridge is composed of three spans crossing the

Connecticut River The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Island ...

between

Haddam, Connecticut Haddam is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut. The population was 8,452 at the time of the 2020 census. The town was also home to the now-decommissioned Connecticut Yankee Nuclear Power Plant. History Haddam, in Middlesex County, is locat ...

and

East Haddam, Connecticut East Haddam is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut. The population was 8,875 at the time of the 2020 census. History Until 1650, the area of East Haddam was inhabited by at least three Indigenous peoples: the Wangunk, the Mohegan and the Ni ...

. The bridge carries Route 82, with an average daily traffic of 11,600. At the time of its construction, it was reputed to be the longest swing bridge of its kind in the world.

History

In 1909, a Governor's commission on transportation recommended the construction of a bridge over the Connecticut River connecting East Haddam and Haddam.Roth, M. (1981). Connecticut: An Inventory of Historic Engineering and Industrial Sites. ''Society for Industrial Archeology''.Retrieved from http://cttrust.org/_IMAGES/Roth%201980%20Survey(1).pdf Accepting this recommendation, to the triumph of the local communities, the state diverted aid used to fund ferry services to building the East Haddam Bridge, becoming one of the first bridges funded by the state. Since ferry service had been the main mode of transportation beginning in 1694, the East Haddam bridge marked a shift toward more modern means for travel across the Connecticut River. Construction of the bridge began in April 1912 and was completed in June 1913. On June 14, 1913, Flag Day, the East Haddam Swing Bridge officially opened. It was hailed as an ornament to the "age of progressiveness". The celebration included an address by Governor Simeon E. Baldwin, a 17-gun salute, a Model-T automobile parade, and a concert that drew thousands to the event. At the time, the State Highway Department had no authority over bridges. This meant the state legislature formed special commissions took the lead on building the East Haddam Bridge. Legislation in 1915 gave the responsibility for all trunk-line bridges in Connecticut, including the East Haddam Bridge, over to the State Highway Department. A centennial celebration for the bridge was marked on June 15, 2013 with a local parade of antique cars. The East Haddam swing bridge has been judged as being "Individually Eligible for the National Register of Historic Places".

Construction

The state hired Edward W. Bush, a prominent civil engineer in Connecticut at the time, to be the chief engineer of the project. He also designed the piers and approach roadways. Additional Boller, Hodge & Baird engineers were hired. A contract for the superstructure of the bridge was given to Holbrook, Cabot, and Rollins of Boston. A contract for the substructure of the bridge was given to American Bridge Company. The pin-connected drawbridge was designed by

Alfred P. Boller Alfred Pancoast Boller (February 23, 1840 – December 9, 1912) was a civil engineer and bridge designer. He was the chief engineer on several bridge building projects during the late 1800 and early 1900s. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in th ...

, an authority on deep bridge foundations, to allow the bridge to pivot/swing, clearing a path for through river travel. The 3 spans of the bridge are all composed of rivet-connecting steel members. From west to east, the three spans include: A Warren deck truss (101 ft long), a Pennsylvania through truss (327 ft long and one of the longest in the state), and a swing span (461 ft long). Together they bring the total length of the swing bridge to 889 ft.2016-2017 Greater Hartford & Connecticut River Valley Visitors Guide. http://www.ctvisit.com/sites/default/files/201617_CenterofCT_VisitorsGuide.pdf The stone-block piers and abutments are built on

timber pilings Piling foundations support many historic structures such as canneries, wharves, and shore buildings. The old pilings present challenging problems during restoration as they age and are destroyed by organisms and decay. Replacing the foundation enti ...

. The East Haddam Bridge incorporates numerous interesting technical features, including a center-bearing pivot and moving-wedge end lifts that support the ends of the bridge when closed.

References

External links

Connecticut's Historic Movable Bridges
*
Library of Congress
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, bridge = East Haddam Swing Bridge , bridge signs = , upstream =

Providence & Worcester railroad bridge Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...

, upstream signs = , downstream = Chester–Hadlyme Ferry , downstream signs = East Haddam, Connecticut Haddam, Connecticut Swing bridges in the United States Bridges completed in 1913 Bridges over the Connecticut River Bridges in Middlesex County, Connecticut Road bridges in Connecticut 1913 establishments in Connecticut Steel bridges in the United States Warren truss bridges in the United States Pennsylvania truss bridges in the United States

History

Construction

See also

References

External links