Arrawanna Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Arrawanna Bridge
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Berlin St. at Coginchaug R., Middletown, Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1918 |
| Architect | Connecticut Highway Department |
| Architectural style | open-spandrel concrete arch |
| NRHP reference No. | 04001092 |
| Added to NRHP | September 29, 2004 |
The Arrawanna Bridge is a historic bridge located in Middletown, Connecticut, USA. It crosses the Coginchaug River near Berlin Street. Built in 1918, it's one of the earliest examples in Connecticut of a special type of bridge called an open-spandrel concrete arch. This makes it one of the oldest and most important bridges in the state. The Arrawanna Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. Today, the bridge is closed to all traffic.
Contents
Discovering the Arrawanna Bridge
The Arrawanna Bridge is found west of downtown Middletown. It's located past the end of Berlin Street, which now stops before reaching the bridge.
Bridge Design and Structure
This bridge is made from strong, reinforced concrete. It uses an "open-spandrel" design. This means the main arch has open spaces above it, rather than being completely filled in. The bridge is about 55 feet (17 meters) long. Its arch rises 19 feet (5.8 meters) high. The arch itself is 20 feet (6.1 meters) wide. The concrete road deck rests on eight walls that rise from the arch. The roadway also has side walls that are 3 feet (0.91 meters) tall.
Building a Modern Bridge in 1918
The Arrawanna Bridge was built in 1918. It was designed by the Connecticut Highway Department. At that time, using reinforced concrete for bridges was quite new. The bridge was even featured in the Highway Department's yearly report for 1918!
This bridge is one of the oldest structures still standing from Connecticut's state highway department. It's also the only one of the state's six open-spandrel bridges that uses a "barrel-arch" design. Experts say it shows how skilled the state's first bridge engineers were. It reminds us of the very first years of building state highways in Connecticut. The city of Middletown now owns the bridge.
Why the Bridge Closed
Berlin Street used to be a main road leading north from downtown Middletown. But in 1974, a new road, Connecticut Route 3, was built. This new road went around Berlin Street. Because of this, the Arrawanna Bridge was closed. By 2003, the bridge was starting to show its age. Shrubs were even growing in the roadway.
