Norwottuck Rail Trail Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Norwottuck Rail Trail Bridge |
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| Coordinates | 42°20′14″N 72°37′07″W / 42.33722°N 72.61861°W |
| Carries | Norwottuck Rail Trail |
| Crosses | Connecticut River |
| Locale | Northampton, Massachusetts to Hadley, Massachusetts |
| Maintained by | MassDOT |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | steel lattice truss bridge |
| Total length | approximately 1,492 feet (454.76 m) |
| Longest span | approximately 200 feet (61 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1887, 1992 |
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The Norwottuck Rail Trail Bridge is a special bridge that crosses the Connecticut River in western Massachusetts. It connects the towns of Northampton and Hadley. This bridge is now part of the Norwottuck Branch Rail Trail, which means people use it for walking, running, and biking! It used to be a railroad bridge. It is sometimes called the Northampton Lattice Truss Bridge.
History of the Bridge
The Norwottuck Rail Trail Bridge is a very strong bridge made of steel. It has eight sections, called spans, that stretch across the river. It's a type of bridge called a lattice truss bridge. This means it has a cool criss-cross pattern of steel beams, like a giant lattice, which makes it super strong. The R. F. Hawkins Ironworks Company built this bridge.
The bridge even crosses a small piece of land in the middle of the river called Elwell Island. The bridge was designed so that people cannot get onto the island from the bridge. This helps keep the island natural and untouched.
In 1936, there was a very big flood. To make sure the bridge stayed in place and wasn't washed away, railroad cars filled with heavy scrap metal were put on top of it. This extra weight helped to hold the bridge down during the flood.
Later, the bridge was changed so people could use it for fun. It was redesigned by a company called Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. Then, the Massachusetts Highway Department rebuilt it. In 1992, the bridge opened again for people to use for biking and walking as part of the Norwottuck Branch Rail Trail.
