Lake Shore Drive Bridge (Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Shore Drive Bridge |
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| Coordinates | 47°24′45″N 88°17′48″W / 47.4125°N 88.2967°W |
| Carries | Pedestrians |
| Crosses | Eagle River |
| Locale | Eagle River, Michigan |
| Other name(s) | M-26 Bridge Eagle River Bridge |
| Heritage status | Michigan State Historic Site Designated: May 10, 1990 |
| ID number | 42142021000B030 |
| Followed by | Eagle River Timber Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Material | Steel |
| Total length | 139 feet (42 m) |
| Width | 18 feet (5.5 m) |
| Longest span | 105 feet (32 m) |
| Number of spans | 3 |
| History | |
| Designer | Michigan State Highway Department |
| Constructed by | Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company |
| Construction end | 1915 |
The Lake Shore Drive Bridge is a special bridge in Eagle River, Michigan. People also call it the M-26 Bridge or the Eagle River Bridge. It crosses the Eagle River. From 1915 to 1990, cars used this bridge. Now, it's a pedestrian bridge, meaning only people walking can use it. A newer bridge, the Eagle River Timber Bridge, took over for cars. This old bridge is important! It's listed as a Michigan State Historic Site. It's also part of the Eagle River Historic District, which is a group of historic places.
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Building the Lake Shore Drive Bridge
Before this bridge, an older bridge stood in the same spot. By 1915, it was too old and needed to be replaced. The Michigan State Highway Department designed the new bridge. They had special plans that towns could use.
The Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company from Milwaukee built the Lake Shore Drive Bridge. It was finished in 1915. The strong concrete supports at each end, called abutments, were made by a company from Houghton, Michigan. This bridge was one of two bridges built over the Eagle River at the same time. The other was in Phoenix, Michigan.
The Lake Shore Drive Bridge is a part of the Eagle River Historic District. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 13, 1984. Being a "contributing property" means it helps make the district special and historic.
Why Was the Bridge Replaced?
In 1990, a new bridge, the Eagle River Timber Bridge, opened right next to the Lake Shore Drive Bridge. This new bridge was built for cars. After that, the Lake Shore Drive Bridge became a bridge just for people walking.
On May 10, 1990, the Lake Shore Drive Bridge was named a Michigan State Historic Site. This means it's a very important historical place in Michigan. A special sign was put up in 1991 to tell people about its history.
Bridge Safety Check in 2007
In 2007, a bridge in Minneapolis collapsed. This made officials check other bridges that were built in a similar way. The Lake Shore Drive Bridge was one of four bridges in Michigan that needed checking.
Experts inspected the bridge on August 6, 2007. They looked at it very carefully. The good news was that the Lake Shore Drive Bridge was found to be safe!
How the Bridge Is Built
The Lake Shore Drive Bridge is a special type of bridge called a Warren deck truss. It's made of strong steel pieces joined together with rivets. The bridge is about 139-foot (42 m) long.
It has three main parts, called spans. The middle span is the longest, at 105 feet (32 m). The two spans on either side are each 34-foot (10 m) long. The sides of the bridge have special safety railings, called guard rails, made of woven steel.
