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Bailey truss

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Sir Donald Coleman Bailey (1901-1985) was a civil engineer from Yorkshire who invented the Bailey Bridge. He studied at The Leys School in Cambridge and at Sheffield University. He was knighted in 1946 in recognition of his bridge design. Bailey was a modeler, and presented a model of his temporary bridge design to his superiors in the British War Office, who saw some potential for his idea. The prototype Bailey Bridge was assembled in 1943 and remains in place today. The Bailey Bridge uses prefabricated, modular, rectangular panels that can be carried by 6 men and transported in military 3-ton trucks and do not require cranes for assembly. There are components that allow for panels to be "ganged" next to each other (up to three wide) and stacked double tall allowing the same pieces to be used for a light, short bridge or a long, heavy load bridge. The first military installation occurred in Italy in 1943, and production was ramped up for use during and after D-Day.

The US Army licensed the bridge design and began to use it during the war. Postwar, surplus Bailey Bridge components were sold for private and public use. Several examples of extant Bailey Bridges are shown below.

The main component of a Bailey truss is the panel that is (measured pin center to pin center) 10 ft long by 4 ft 9 inch tall [3.05 m by 1.45 m]. There are three verticals and two "square" diagonal braces in each panel. Other components are stringers, bracing frames, end posts, etc.

Psst! Hey, Buddy! Ya wanna buy a bridge? Bailey bridges are available from Bailey Bridges, Incorporated in Fort Payne, Alabama. http://www.baileybridge.com/bailey_bridges_02.html

Although it is common to call any prefab modular bridge a Bailey, there are actually a number of companies making similar modular bridge components. Some of the bridges in this (Bailey) category might actually be other types. The US DOT has published a guide to the different types of modular prefab spans here: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/prefab/psbsreport03.cfm

For bridges built with pre-fabricated modular steel panels but are not actually a Bailey truss, see the category "Pre-fab, modular steel panel truss".

MD638 Overpass (Allegany County, Maryland)
Built 1995
Bailey pony truss bridge over Western Md Scenic Rr on Md 638
Open to traffic

Middle Valley Road Bridge (Morris County, New Jersey)
Built 1928; rehabilitated 1981 (?)
Bailey pony truss bridge over South Branch Raritan River on Middle Valley Road
Open to traffic

Millers River Bridge (Worcester County, Massachusetts)
Prior bridge built 1850; rehabilitated 1921; replaced 1998.
Pony truss bridge over Millers River on MA 32 (Chestnut Hill Avenue) in Athol
Open to traffic

Mineral Creek Bridge (Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska)
Built 1970
Bailey pony truss bridge over Mineral Creek on Mineral Creek Road
Open to traffic

Mono Hot Springs Bridge (Fresno County, California)
Bailey pony truss bridge over South Fork San Joaquin River on Edison Lake Road
Open to traffic

Monocacy River Bridge (Frederick County, Maryland)
Built 1989
Bailey pony truss bridge over Monocacy River on Harney Road
Open to traffic

Moose R.Power Can Bridge (Lewis County, New York)
Built 1985
Bailey pony truss bridge over Moose R.Power Can on Lowdale Road
Open to traffic

Mustang Road Bridge (old) (Washoe County, Nevada)
Lost Bailey pony truss bridge over Truckee River on Mustang Road
Replaced by a new bridge

N. 50th Street Menomonee River Bridge (Milwaukee County, Wisconsin)
Built 1976
Pony truss bridge over Menomonee River on N. 50th Street in Milwaukee
FOUND! This elusive bridge is well hidden but extant behind private property.

Norfolk Railroad Bridge (Chambers County, Alabama)
Built 1946
Bailey pony truss bridge over Norfolk Railroad on Co.11
Open to traffic

North Piney Creek Bridge (Sublette County, Wyoming)
Built 1957
Bailey pony truss bridge over North Piney Creek on Forest Road 10046
Open to traffic

North Shore Road Bridge (Clallam County, Washington)
Built 1995
Pony truss bridge over Small Creek on North Shore Road
Open to traffic

North Unit Canal Bridge (Deschutes County, Oregon)
Built 1960
Bailey truss bridge over North Unit Canal on Sherman/McCaffery Road in Redmond
Open to traffic

Number Three Road Bridge (Franklin County, Florida)
Built 2001
Bailey pony truss bridge over New River on Number Three Road
Open to traffic

Old Cazadero Road Bridge (Sonoma County, California)
Built 1940
Bailey Bridge truss bridge over Austin Creek on Old Cazadero Road
Open to traffic

Old Coast Highway Bridge North (Monterey County, California)
Built 1950
Bailey truss bridge over North Fork Little Sur River on Old Coast Highway
Open to traffic

Old Coast Highway Bridge South (Monterey County, California)
Built 1950
Bailey truss bridge over South Fork Little Sur River on Old Coast Highway
Open to traffic

Old Plank Road Bridge (Ashtabula County, Ohio)
Bailey truss bridge over Grand River on Old Plank Road (TR 528)
Replaced by a new bridge

Paulina Creek Bridge (Deschutes County, Oregon)
Built 2007
Bailey pony truss bridge over Paulina Creek on Mckay Camp Access
Open to traffic

Peace River Bridge (Polk County, Florida)
Pony truss bridge over Peace River on Road?


Peltier Bridge (Shasta County, California)
Built 1955
Bailey pony truss bridge over Clear Creek on Peltier Valley Rd
Open to traffic

Pescadero Creek Bridge (San Mateo County, California)
Built 2009
Bailey pony truss bridge over Pescadero Creek on State Park Road
Open to traffic

Pine Hollow Road Bridge (Warren County, New Jersey)
Built 1997
Bailey pony truss bridge over Raritan Valley Line on Pine Hollow Road
Open to traffic but at private end of dead end road

Platte River Branch CR 458 Bridge (Nodaway County, Missouri)
Built 1944
Pony truss bridge over a branch of Platte River on CR 458
Open to traffic

Plattekill Creek Bridge (Ulster County, New York)
Built 1931; rehabilitated 1994
Pony truss bridge over Plattekill Creek on CR 31
Open to traffic

PR111 Puente Río Viví (Utuado, Puerto Rico)
Built 2017; Due to be replaced 2019
Bailey pony truss bridge over Puente Río Viví on PR111
Open to traffic

Puentelevadizo Laguna de Lobina (Culebra, Puerto Rico)
Built 1979; rehabilitated 2010;
Bailey pony truss vertical lift bridge over Laguna de Lobina on PR 250
Open to traffic; lift no longer in use

Pup Hill Bridge (Clinton County, New York)
Built 1988
Bailey pony truss bridge over Saranac River on Pup Hill Road
Open to traffic

Queen Avenue Bridge (Mills County, Iowa)
Built ca. 1940
Bailey pony truss bridge over Deer Creek on Lcl-Queen Av
Open to traffic

Quinault Road Bridge (Grays Harbor County, Washington)
Built 2001
Bailey pony truss bridge over Finley Creek on Quinault Road
Open to traffic

Reels Mill Bridge (Frederick County, Maryland)
Built 1954
Steel stringer bridge
Open to traffic

Reynolds Highway Bridge (Mendocino County, California)
Built 1955, replaced unknown year by Bailey Truss Bridge
Bailey Bridge replaces Pony truss bridge over Outlet Creek on Reynolds Highway
Open to traffic

Robinson Bar Bridge (Custer County, Idaho)
Built 1950
Bailey pony truss bridge over Salmon River on Robinson Bar Road
Open to traffic

Roland Run Bridge (Baltimore County, Maryland)
Built 1988
Bailey pony truss bridge over Roland Run on Circle Road
Open to traffic

Rourke Bridge (Middlesex County, Massachusetts)
Built 1983 as a temporary bridge but never replaced by permenant structure
Bailey pony truss over Merrimack River on Wood Street
Open to traffic

Sears Mill Bridge (Rock Island County, Illinois)
(Main design: Whipple through truss)
Built 1907; Span lost and replaced with a Bailey truss span 1946; Replaced 1948
Lost Pratt through truss bridge over Rock River on 11th Street
Replaced by new bridge

Selden Island Bridge (Montgomery County, Maryland)
Bailey pony truss bridge over Potomac River on private road
Intact but closed to all but private traffic

Silverbell Road Bridge (Pima County, Arizona)
Built 1935; rehabilitated 1998
Bailey pony truss bridge over Blanco Wash on Silverbell Road in Avra Valley
Open to traffic

Sloat Poplar Valley Road Bridge (Plumas County, California)
(Main design: Deck plate girder)
Built 1959, replaced unknown year.
Deck plate girder bridge over Middle Fork Feather River on Sloat-Poplar Valley Road
Replaced by Bailey truss bridge

Soda Creek Road Bridge (Shasta County, California)
Built 1960
Bailey pony truss bridge over South Fork Soda Creek on Soda Creek Road
Open to traffic

South Fork Kaweah River Bridge (Tulare County, California)
Built 1952
Pony truss bridge over South Fork Kaweah River on M348
Open to traffic

Southern Boulevard Temporary Lift Bridge (Palm Beach County, Florida)
Built 2018
ACROW pony truss bridge over Inracoastal Waterway on Southern Boulevard
Open to traffic

Stony Creek Bailey Bridge (Montgomery County, Pennsylvania)
Built 1995
Bailey pony truss bridge over Stony Creek on US202/Markley Street (NB)
Open to traffic

Sweetwater Spring Road Bridge (Sonoma County, California)
Built 2005
Bailey type truss Pony truss bridge over Porter Creek on Swtwater Spring Road
Open to traffic

Thompson Creek Mining Company Bridge (Custer County, Idaho)
Bailey pony truss bridge over Salmon River on Mining Road
Open to traffic

Thompson Mill Bridge (Barrow County, Georgia)
Built 1966
Bailey pony truss bridge over Little Mulberry River on Old Thompson Mill Road
Open to traffic

Tower Road Bridge (Sonoma County, California)
Built 2006
Bailey Truss Pony truss bridge over Roadway Washout on Tower Road
Open to traffic

Two Rivers Road Bridge (Plumas County, California)
Bailey pony truss bridge over Middle Fork Feather River on Two Rivers Road
Open to traffic

US4 Connecticut River Bridge (Temporary) (Grafton County, New Hampshire)
Bailey/Acrow pony truss bridge over Connecticut River Bridge on US-4
Removed but not replaced

V.A.S.T. - South Branch Wells River bridge (Caledonia County, Vermont)
Bailey pony truss bridge over South Branch Wells River bridge on V.A.S.T. snowmobile trail
Open to snowmobiles

V.A.S.T. Barton Bridge (Orleans County, Vermont)
Bailey bridge over Unknow Creek on VAST snowmobile trail
Intact but closed to all traffic (bridge deck is damaged)

V.A.S.T. Barton River Bridge (Orleans County, Vermont)
Bailey bridge over Barton River on V.A.S.T. snowmobile trail
Open to pedestrians / snowmobiles only

Valley View Avenue Bridge (Hampden County, Massachusetts)
Erected 1987 as a temporary replacement.
Bailey pony truss bridge over Westfield River on Valley View Ave.
Open to traffic

Wagner Ford Road Bridge (Montgomery County, Ohio)
Erected here 1994
Single-Story Bailey pony truss bridge over a Channel of Great Miami River on a closed section of Wagner Ford Road
Intact but closed to all traffic

Wainiha River Bridge (Kauai County, Hawaii)
Bridge over Wainiha River on Kuhio Highway
Open to traffic

Westchester Avenue Bridge (Baltimore County, Maryland)
Bailey pony truss bridge over Ravine,Bicycle Trail on Westchester Avenue
Open to traffic

Westcott Street Bailey Bridge (Woodbury County, Iowa)
Installed 1953 after the previous bridge was destroyed by flooding in July; Replaced 1959
Lost Bailey pony truss bridge over Floyd River on Westcott Street
Removed

White Bridge (Olmsted County, Minnesota)
(Main design: Whipple through truss)
Built 1879 at North Mankato; Relocated here 1918; Partial collapse in 1972; Bailey Bridge added at that time
Lost Whipple through truss bridge over Zumbro River on White Bridge Road
Replaced by a new bridge in 1975

Witter Springs Road Bridge (Lake County, California)
Built 2002
Pony truss bridge over Cooper Creek on Witter Springs Road
Open to traffic

Wrights Mill Bridge (Banks County, Georgia)
Built 1960
Bailey pony truss bridge over Hudson River on Wrights Mill Road
Open to traffic

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