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Memorial Bridge (Massachusetts)
Encyclopedia
The Memorial Bridge is a reinforced-concrete arch bridge
that spans the Connecticut River
between Springfield, Massachusetts
and West Springfield, Massachusetts
, constructed in 1922. The bridge is owned by Massachusetts Highway Department and is located on Massachusetts Route 147
. It spans 209 feet (63.7 m) and rises 29.71 feet (9.1 m) above the river.
bridge built by Isaac Damon of Northampton, Massachusetts
. Partly rebuilt after a spring freshet in 1818, Damon's bridge survived into the 20th century, and was the structure which the present concrete arch bridge was built to replace. The 1814 bridge can be located by the position of "Bridge Street" in both Springfield and West Springfield, at approximately 42.100131°N 72.596245°W.
In 1915, the Hampden County Commissioners opened hearings to discuss construction of a new bridge, but it wasn't until the winter of 1918/19 that the location and overall design of the present concrete arch bridge were finally agreed upon. The main construction contract (at $3,254,883 (US$
with inflation)) was let to H.P. Converse on April 3, 1920; the completed bridge was opened to traffic on August 3, 1922. At the ceremonies held that day, the bridge was dedicated as a memorial to "those who had died as pioneers, and soldiers in the Revolutionary, Civil and Foreign Wars."
The bridge was designed by Fay Spofford & Thorndike, with Haven & Hoyt, architects. When the bridge was refurbished in 1992, Fay Spofford & Thorndike was again involved.
The four plaques on the central towers honor the original colonists, and veterans of the American Revolutionary War, American Civil War, and World War I.
The 1922 Memorial Bridge includes the longest single concrete arch span in Massachusetts. Its self-supporting steel rib arches represent an uncommon refinement of Melan's original idea - by making the steel arches self-supporting, and using them to support their own load plus the weight of the formwork and the wet concrete during construction, an initial compressive stress was developed in the steel prior to the setting of the concrete. This prestressing of the steel allowed a much higher proportion of its ultimate strength to be utilized, allowing, in turn, the use of smaller and lighter arch ribs and a less massive substructure.
This project was completed by Daniel O'Conell's Sons in 1996.
This article incorporates text from MassDOT, a public domain
work of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
that spans the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
between Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
and West Springfield, Massachusetts
West Springfield, Massachusetts
The Town of West Springfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 28,391 at the 2010 census...
, constructed in 1922. The bridge is owned by Massachusetts Highway Department and is located on Massachusetts Route 147
Massachusetts Route 147
Route 147 is a west–east state highway in Massachusetts, serving the cities of Agawam and West Springfield. It follows the easternmost few miles of the former route of Route 57 before it was moved onto a limited access freeway a mile south, the Henry E...
. It spans 209 feet (63.7 m) and rises 29.71 feet (9.1 m) above the river.
History and construction of the bridge
The Connecticut River was first bridged at Springfield in 1805, by an open wooden bridge said to have been "mongrel in style." It collapsed in 1814 and was replaced by a covered wooden Burr arch-trussBurr Truss
The Burr Arch Truss — or simply Burr Truss or Burr Arch — is a combination of an arch and a multiple kingpost truss design. It was invented in 1804 by Theodore Burr, patented on April 3, 1817, and used in bridges, usually covered bridges....
bridge built by Isaac Damon of Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
. Partly rebuilt after a spring freshet in 1818, Damon's bridge survived into the 20th century, and was the structure which the present concrete arch bridge was built to replace. The 1814 bridge can be located by the position of "Bridge Street" in both Springfield and West Springfield, at approximately 42.100131°N 72.596245°W.
In 1915, the Hampden County Commissioners opened hearings to discuss construction of a new bridge, but it wasn't until the winter of 1918/19 that the location and overall design of the present concrete arch bridge were finally agreed upon. The main construction contract (at $3,254,883 (US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
with inflation)) was let to H.P. Converse on April 3, 1920; the completed bridge was opened to traffic on August 3, 1922. At the ceremonies held that day, the bridge was dedicated as a memorial to "those who had died as pioneers, and soldiers in the Revolutionary, Civil and Foreign Wars."
The bridge was designed by Fay Spofford & Thorndike, with Haven & Hoyt, architects. When the bridge was refurbished in 1992, Fay Spofford & Thorndike was again involved.
Design
The Memorial Bridge features a 7 span, reinforced-concrete deck rib arches, with a 9 span reinforced concrete slab viaduct. Each of the river spans is made up of 5 Melan-type, two-hinged, reinforced-concrete arch ribs of parabolic profile. The bridge's longest ribs have a center to center span of 209 feet (63.7 m) and a rise of 29.71 feet (9.1 m); the ribs of the other spans vary from 176.5 to 121 ft (53.8 to 36.9 ) in length, with rises from 29.2 to 19.1 ft (8.9 to 5.8 ). The three interior ribs in each span are grouped together near the center of the roadway where a streetcar line was originally located. The two outer ribs are more widely spaced and carry thin concrete fascia walls concealing an open-spandrel design. Reinforced-concrete spandrel columns carry the reinforced-concrete roadway. The viaduct spans over the rail yard consists of a reinforced concrete slab deck carried by transverse bents of concrete-encased structural steel. The piers are granite-faced reinforced-concrete.The four plaques on the central towers honor the original colonists, and veterans of the American Revolutionary War, American Civil War, and World War I.
The 1922 Memorial Bridge includes the longest single concrete arch span in Massachusetts. Its self-supporting steel rib arches represent an uncommon refinement of Melan's original idea - by making the steel arches self-supporting, and using them to support their own load plus the weight of the formwork and the wet concrete during construction, an initial compressive stress was developed in the steel prior to the setting of the concrete. This prestressing of the steel allowed a much higher proportion of its ultimate strength to be utilized, allowing, in turn, the use of smaller and lighter arch ribs and a less massive substructure.
1996 rehabilitation project
By the 1990s, the concrete above the arches was suffering from advanced Alkali-Silica Reactivity (ASR) attack. The 1996 rehabilitation project replaced the entire deck system. The decorative architectural elements were replaced either in kind using cast stone or replaced with architectural fiberglass reproductions. The viaduct over the railroad was replaced with adjacent precast/prestressed deck beams made continuous.This project was completed by Daniel O'Conell's Sons in 1996.
External links
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
work of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts