Lafayette Avenue Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lafayette Avenue Bridge |
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The East Bridge (The Drawbridge)
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| Coordinates | 43°34′47″N 83°54′00″W / 43.5797°N 83.90°W |
| Carries |   M-13 / M-84 |
| Crosses | Saginaw River |
| Locale | Bay City, Michigan |
| Official name | Lafayette Avenue Bridge |
| Maintained by | Michigan Department of Transportation |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Girder Bridge (West Bridge) Bascule bridge (East Bridge) |
| Total length | 310 feet (West Bridge) 436 feet (East Bridge) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1938 |
| Statistics | |
| Toll | None |
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Bay City Bascule Bridge
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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| Architect | Michigan State Highway Department |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001465 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 30, 1999 |
| Removed from NRHP | April 20, 2015 |
The Lafayette Avenue Bridge is actually two bridges in Bay City, Michigan. These bridges help M-13 and M-84 roads cross the Saginaw River. The Michigan Department of Transportation takes care of them. One part of the bridge is a special type called a drawbridge. It's the oldest modern drawbridge in Bay City! This bridge was once on a special list called the National Register of Historic Places, from 1999 to 2015.
Contents
What is the Lafayette Avenue Bridge?
The Lafayette Avenue Bridge is made of two separate parts. If you are heading east, the first part is called the East Channel bridge. This bridge is a fixed metal bridge. It carries the M-13/M-84 roads from the west side of the river to a place called Middle Ground Island.
How Does the Drawbridge Work?
The second part is the West Channel bridge. This is the part that is a drawbridge. A drawbridge can open up to let boats pass underneath. This section carries the road from Middle Ground Island to the east side of the river.
The roads M-13/M-84 have different names here. On the west side of the river, it's called Salzburg Avenue. On the east side, it's called Lafayette Avenue, which is where the bridge gets its name.
Bridge Size and Features
The whole bridge structure is 452 feet long. The drawbridge part, called the bascule span, is 185 feet long. When the drawbridge opens, it creates a 150-foot wide space for boats.
The bridge also has sidewalks on both sides, each five feet wide. This means people can walk safely across. There are even four special spots called observation platforms. You can stand there and watch the river or boats go by. There is also a small house for the person who operates the drawbridge.
History of the Lafayette Avenue Bridge
The Lafayette Avenue Bridge you see today replaced an older bridge. That first bridge was built in the same spot way back in 1876. But it got too old and was closed in 1934.
Building a New Bridge
After the old bridge closed, a temporary bridge was put in place. It was a special floating bridge that could swing open. In 1936, Bay City started planning to build a new, stronger bridge. This was a tough time because the country was in the middle of the Great Depression. This was a period when many people did not have jobs or money.
However, money eventually came from a government program called the Public Works Administration. This program was part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's plan to help the country, called the New Deal. Thanks to this help, the current Lafayette Avenue Bridge was finished and opened in 1938.
Changes Over Time
In 1955, another bridge nearby was removed. This made the Lafayette Avenue Bridge the southernmost bridge over the Saginaw River in Bay City.
The bridge was repaired a lot in 1987. Most of its main parts were replaced, but it still works the same way it did when it was new. Another big repair project is planned to start in 2020 to keep the bridge strong and safe.
Gallery
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The West Bridge
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The drawbridge with a freighter passing underneath
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The drawbridge with the bascule spans partially open
