Manatí Bridge at Mata de Plátano, also known as Puente Juan José Jiménez and listed as Bridge #321 in

Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...

's bridge inventory, was built in 1905 in Hato Viejo, Ciales, Puerto Rico. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1995 and on the

Puerto Rico Register of Historic Sites and Zones The Puerto Rico Register of Historic Sites and Zones (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Registro Nacional de Sitios y Zonas Históricas'') is a Government of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican government program adopted by the state Puerto Rico Planning Board, ...

in 2001. It was the first truss bridge built in Puerto Rico under the administration of the United States (1898–1900) after the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

. The bridge spans above the

Río Grande de Manatí The Manatí River (Spanish: Río Grande de Manatí) is a river in Puerto Rico, which flows through several northern municipalities of the island. The river is named after the municipality of Manatí where the river mouth is located. Description ...

. For Puerto Rico, the span is high, above the river, "above a spectacular curving canyon of vertical walls traversed by the Manati River". It is a rare type of bridge: a steel double intersection

Pratt truss 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 ...

, above a concrete substructure, and is the only such highway bridge in Puerto Rico. Its a wide, one-lane road. with The bridge is visited by tourists. At least 10 railway bridges used the double intersection Pratt truss design, in the French-owned railway that was built during 1890-93 between

San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John (disambiguation), Saint John, most commonly refers to: * San Juan, Puerto Rico * San Juan, Argentina * San Juan, Metro Manila, a highly urbanized city in the Philippines San Juan may also refer to: Places Arge ...

and Ponce. Only Cambalache Bridge, across the Arecibo River, survived, as of 1994. The rest were dismantled and sold to cover a bankruptcy by the railroad company that owned them. It was remodeled in 2010. Residents complain when the bridge is closed because it is the only direct access from Manatí to Ciales when the bridge from Morovis to Ciales is inaccessible. In 2018, $6.8 million dollars were earmarked by the US

Federal Highway Administration The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program a ...

for repairs to the bridge.

Gallery

Views of the canyon and Río Grande de Manatí from Manatí Bridge at Mata de Plátano: Río Grande de Manatí from Manatí Bridge at Mata de Plátano 08.jpg Río Grande de Manatí from Manatí Bridge at Mata de Plátano 06.jpg Manatí Bridge at Mata de Plátano, Ciales, Puerto Rico, river and canyon.jpg Manatí Bridge at Mata de Plátano in Ciales, Puerto Rico.jpg

References

External links

Digital Assets 95000847 on NRHP
* , National Register of Historic Places cover documentation {{DEFAULTSORT:Manati Bridge at Mata de Platano Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Puerto Rico Bridges completed in 1905 Steel bridges in the United States Concrete bridges in the United States 1905 establishments in Puerto Rico Ciales, Puerto Rico Pratt truss bridges