Belden G. Bly Bridge originally known as the Fox Hill Bridge was built in 1912 and renamed in 1985 in honor of former member of the

Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...

Belden Bly. At the time of its demolition, the bridge was the oldest

cantilever bridge A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end (called cantilevers). For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beam (structure), beams; however, large cantilever ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

still in use as well as the oldest Scherzer Rolling Lift under the supervision of the

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

Department of Public Works.

Streetcar A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...

tracks originally ran across the bridge. This bridge closed for several months for repairs on 15 December 2008. The MBTA bus routes 424, 450, 455 and 459 had their routes detoured through Austin Square in West Lynn through Ballard Street in Saugus. While the bridge was scheduled to be closed for replacement starting in early 2013, problems with the temporary cable-lift draw bridge delayed the project significantly. (On June 3, 2013, a hinge failed on the temporary draw span during what was supposed to have been final testing.) The temporary bridge was finally opened on Nov. 9, 2013, and the 1912 span closed permanently. (On Nov. 12 2013 the temporary bridge was stuck in the open position for many hours, so it is unclear if the 1912 bridge is truly ready for demolition.) Nearly a decade later, the temporary bridge is still in use.

External links

Belden Bly Bridge Replacement project photoGoogle Street View showing the Scherzer Rolling Lift mechanism
*http://www.wickedlocal.com/saugus/newsnow/x1275641189/Construction-alert-for-Belden-Bly-Bridge-on-Saugus-Lynn-line

*https://web.archive.org/web/20070829002347/http://hodge.iiiii.nu/industry---photos/bridges.html *https://web.archive.org/web/20061010155109/http://www.dla.org/downloads/Hearsay0305.doc Buildings and structures in Saugus, Massachusetts Bridges completed in 1912 Bridges in Essex County, Massachusetts Road bridges in Massachusetts 1912 establishments in Massachusetts Cantilever bridges in the United States {{Massachusetts-bridge-struct-stub