Center Road – Tittabawassee River Bridge facts for kids

The Center Road – Tittabawassee River Bridge was a bridge that carried Center Road over the Tittabawassee River in James Township, Michigan. It was a very important bridge. In 1999, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes places that are important to American history.

Building the Bridge

In 1926, the Michigan State Highway Department designed this bridge. They planned for it to cross the Tittabawassee River. The department then hired a company called Willits Brothers Construction Co. This company was from Bay City.

Willits Brothers Construction Co. finished building the bridge in 1927. The main steel parts of the bridge were made by the American Bridge Company. The bridge was used for many years. It helped people travel across the river.

What the Bridge Looked Like

The Center Road Bridge was made of concrete and steel. It had five main sections, called spans. Each of these spans was 65 feet long. Inside each span were nine strong steel beams. These beams were supported by concrete parts called abutments and piers.

The sides of the bridge's steel beams were covered in concrete. On top of the beams was a concrete road surface, or deck. The bridge also had concrete guardrails on each side. These guardrails had classic designs. They featured fluted balusters and paneled bulkheads.

End of the Bridge

The Center Road Bridge was used for a long time. It was still working well in the 2000s. However, the bridge was taken down in November 2009. Even though it was still functional, it was demolished.