Norwottuck Rail Trail Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Norwottuck Rail Trail
Bridge (also known as the Northampton Lattice Truss Bridge) is a former crossing of Boston and Maine Railroad
over the Connecticut River
in western Massachusetts
, connecting the towns of Northampton
and Hadley
, currently used for bicycle and foot traffic.
To survive the 1936 flood, railroad cars loaded with scrap metal were placed on the bridge to weigh it down.
The bridge was redesigned by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. of Watertown
, rebuilt by MassHighway
, and opened in 1992 to bicycle and foot traffic as part of the Norwottuck Rail Trail
.
Norwottuck Rail Trail
The Norwottuck Rail Trail is a combination bicycle/pedestrian paved right-of-way running from Northampton, Massachusetts, through Hadley and Amherst, to Belchertown, Massachusetts. It opened in 1992. No motor vehicles or horses are allowed.- Use :...
Bridge (also known as the Northampton Lattice Truss Bridge) is a former crossing of Boston and Maine Railroad
Boston and Maine Railroad
The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
over 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...
in western Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, connecting the towns of Northampton
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...
and Hadley
Hadley, Massachusetts
Hadley is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. The population was 4,793 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The area around Hampshire Mall and Mountain Farms Mall along Route 9 is a major shopping destination for the surrounding...
, currently used for bicycle and foot traffic.
History and construction of the bridge
The Norwottuck Rail Trail Bridge is an eight-span steel lattice truss bridge. It crosses Elwell Island in the middle of the river, providing no access to the island in an attempt to keep the island otherwise untouched. Riding over the bridge shows eight spans, with two of them over Elwell Island. It was built by the R. F. Hawkins Ironworks Company.To survive the 1936 flood, railroad cars loaded with scrap metal were placed on the bridge to weigh it down.
The bridge was redesigned by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. of Watertown
Watertown, Massachusetts
The Town of Watertown is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,915 at the 2010 census.- History :Archeological evidence suggests that Watertown was inhabited for thousands of years before the arrival of settlers from England...
, rebuilt by MassHighway
Massachusetts Highway Department
The Massachusetts Highway Department was the former name of the highway department in the United States Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1991 until it became the highway division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation on November 1, 2009...
, and opened in 1992 to bicycle and foot traffic as part of the Norwottuck Rail Trail
Norwottuck Rail Trail
The Norwottuck Rail Trail is a combination bicycle/pedestrian paved right-of-way running from Northampton, Massachusetts, through Hadley and Amherst, to Belchertown, Massachusetts. It opened in 1992. No motor vehicles or horses are allowed.- Use :...
.