M-50–Sandstone Creek Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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M-50–Sandstone Creek Bridge
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| Location | M-50 over Sandstone Creek, Tompkins Township, Michigan |
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| Area | Less than one acre |
| Built | 1927 |
| Built by | W Toebe & Co. |
| Architect | Michigan State Highway Department |
| Architectural style | Steel deck plate girder |
| MPS | Highway Bridges of Michigan MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001674 |
| Added to NRHP | January 14, 2000 |
The M-50–Sandstone Creek Bridge is an important road bridge in Tompkins Township, Michigan. It is also known as the Tompkins Bridge. This bridge helps cars on M-50 cross over Sandstone Creek. Because of its history and design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. This means it is a special landmark worth protecting.
The Bridge's Story: How It Was Built
In the early 1900s, the road we now call M-50 was known as Clinton Road. Around the 1910s, this road became part of Michigan's main highway system. Back then, a different bridge carried traffic over Sandstone Creek. It was a 62-foot (19 m) long bridge made of metal trusses.
By the 1920s, this old bridge was not strong enough for the growing traffic. So, in 1927, the Michigan State Highway Department decided to build a new one. They hired Walter Toebe and Company to construct the bridge. The metal parts for the bridge came from the Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company. Even today, with some modern safety rails, this historic bridge still carries cars along M-50.
What Does the Bridge Look Like?
The M-50–Sandstone Creek Bridge is a steel deck plate girder bridge. This means its main support beams are large steel plates. The bridge is 65-foot (20 m) long. It has a concrete deck that is 36.4-foot-wide (11.1 m). This deck provides two lanes for cars, with the roadway itself being 30-foot-wide (9.1 m).
The bridge deck rests on nine strong steel girders. These girders are covered in concrete for extra protection. The sides of the bridge have concrete railings, called parapets. These railings have decorative panels. Newer metal guardrails have been added inside the original railings for safety. The bridge stands on solid concrete supports and wingwalls.
