Liberty Bridge (Bay City, Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Liberty Bridge |
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| Coordinates | 43°36′17″N 83°53′26″W / 43.60466°N 83.8905°W |
| Crosses | Saginaw River |
| Locale | Bay City, Michigan |
| Official name | Liberty Bridge |
| Maintained by | City of Bay City |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Bascule bridge |
| History | |
| Opened | 1986 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 20,000 vehicles per day (approx.) |
| Toll | None |
The Liberty Bridge is a special kind of bridge called a drawbridge. It's located in Bay City, Michigan, in the United States. This bridge crosses the Saginaw River, connecting Vermont Street on the west side with Woodside Avenue on the east side. It was built in 1986 and helps about 20,000 vehicles cross the river every day!
The Story of the Liberty Bridge
The Liberty Bridge was built to replace an older bridge called the Third Street Bridge. This old bridge was a swing bridge, which means a part of it would swing open to let boats pass. It was located just south of where the Liberty Bridge is now.
The Old Bridge's History
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The Third Street Bridge was the very first bridge to cross the Saginaw River in Bay City. It was first built from wood in 1864. Later, in 1872, its main structure was rebuilt using stronger iron and steel.
Why a New Bridge Was Needed
On June 18, 1976, something unexpected happened. The part of the Third Street Bridge that swung open suddenly collapsed! This happened because a large boat had hit the bridge the night before. After the collapse, the bridge could no longer be used.
People then had to decide where to build a new bridge. To get money from the government, the new bridge needed to have four lanes for cars. If they built a four-lane bridge in the same spot, some old and important buildings would have had to be torn down. So, instead, the Liberty Bridge was built a little further north. It connects Woodside Avenue and Vermont Street, which helped save those historic buildings.
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The Liberty Bridge opens up to let tall ships pass through in 2010.
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Today, the Third Street Waterfall Park marks the spot where the old Third Street Bridge used to be.
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