The Old M-95–Michigamme River Bridgeis a bridge located on Old M-95

M-95 (Michigan highway)

M-95, designated as the Leif Erickson Memorial Highway, is a state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. Running from Kingsford to near Champion in Humboldt Township, it is the main connection between Iron Mountain and Marquette along with US 41.M-95 was previously...

 as it passes over the Michigamme River

Michigamme River

The Michigamme River flows from Lake Michigamme in Marquette County, through Dickinson County, Michigamme Reservoir, Peavy Pond and Michigamme Lake in Iron County to the confluence of the Brule River where the Menominee River starts which can be viewed from the dam on Michigamme Lake...

 in Republic Township

Republic Township, Michigan

Republic Township is a civil township of Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,106 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Republic is located within the township.-Geography:...

, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 in 1999.

History

In the early part of the 20th century, before the Michigan State Highway Department standardized bridge designs, local road commissions were responsible for bridge designs in their own areas. In rural areas, the bridges built for vehicular traffic primarily had steel or timber superstructures. In Marquette County

Marquette County, Michigan

-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Huron National Wildlife Refuge* Ottawa National Forest -University:Northern Michigan University is a four-year university, established in 1899, located in Marquette, Michigan, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula...

, however, the road commission built at least three rural concrete arch bridges in the 1910s: one over the Dead River in Marquette, one over the Michigamme River in Republic, and this bridge over the Michigamme. This bridge was built in 1910, and although modest in scale and design, it is technologically and historically significant as an embodiment of local bridge design before state standardization.

Description

The Old M-95–Michigamme River Bridge is 120 feet (36.6 m) long with a main span length of 60 feet (18.3 m). It spans the Michigamme River on an abandoned roadway (now used as a private road) that was once M-95, immediately west of the current highway. The bridge has two filled spandrel arches, with continuous elliptical arch rings. The arches sit on concrete abutments on each shore pier located in the center of the river. The deck is cambered and made of earth, and flanked on each side with concrete guardrails.