M-28–Tahquamenon River Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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M-28–Tahquamenon River Bridge
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | M-28 over Tahquamenon River, Chippewa Township, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1926 |
| Built by | Walter Toebe & Company |
| Architect | Michigan State Highway Department |
| Architectural style | steel plate girder bridge |
| MPS | Highway Bridges of Michigan MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001466 |
| Added to NRHP | November 30, 1999 |
The M-28–Tahquamenon River Bridge is a special bridge in Chippewa Township, Michigan. It carries M-28, a main road, over the beautiful Tahquamenon River. This bridge is important because it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) since 1999. This means it's a historic landmark worth protecting!
Contents
History of the Bridge
In 1926, the Michigan State Highway Department (MSHD) worked to make M-28 a better road. They added new gravel sections and replaced old bridges. One of these new bridges was the one over the Tahquamenon River.
The MSHD designed the bridge themselves. They then asked companies to bid on building it. Walter Toebe and Company won the job. They built the bridge in 1926. It cost about $24,286.08 back then. The bridge was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 30, 1999.
Why This Bridge is Special
The Michigan State Highway Department had standard designs for bridges. They started making steel stringer bridges in 1905–06. They also designed plate girder bridges in 1907–08.
In 1926, when this bridge was built, they started covering the steel parts with concrete. It's not fully clear why they did this. They stopped covering the inside parts soon after. But they kept covering the outside beams with concrete.
They also continued using the concrete railings (called balusters) that were first used on this bridge design. Because of this, the Tahquamenon River Bridge is like a first version or "prototype" for many similar bridges built by the department over the next ten years. Today, this bridge is one of only two bridges of its kind left in Michigan.
What the Bridge Looks Like
The M-28–Tahquamenon River Bridge is a plate girder bridge. It is made of nine strong steel beams. These beams are covered in concrete. Concrete supports (diaphragms) hold the beams together. The bridge sits on large concrete foundations (abutments).
The bridge is about 55 feet (16.7 meters) long. It is 35 feet (10.6 meters) wide. The part where cars drive is 30 feet (9.1 meters) wide. A concrete surface covered with asphalt is on top of the bridge. The roadway has concrete guardrails. These guardrails have decorative fluted balusters and paneled bulkheads.
Images for kids
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Side stringer
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Roadway
