Rating:
12237
{86}%
1 vote
Boulder Bridge
Description
Boulder Bridge is one of the earliest extant bridges in Rock Creek Park. Constructed in 1902, the bridge exemplifies the idea of rustic architecture in the early twentieth century National Parks. It is a Melan reinforced concrete arch bridge with a unique boulder facing. The boulder facing blends into the bridge's surroundings, creating a structure that is both functionally and aesthetically complimentary to the natural setting. Also, the length of the span and the size of the boulders make it unique even among other stone-faced bridges.
-- Historic American Engineering Record
Facts
- Overview
- Concrete arch bridge over Rock Creek on Beach Drive located within Rock Creek Park
- Location
- Washington, District of Columbia
- Status
- Open to traffic
- History
- Built 1902
- Builders
- - J.W. Douglas
- Lansing H. Beach
- Design
- The reinforced concrete arch is faced with large fieldstones found nearby.
- Dimensions
-
Span length: 74.2 ft.
Total length: 74.2 ft.
Deck width: 20.0 ft.
- Recognition
-
Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on March 20, 1980
- Also called
- Beach Drive Bridge
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +38.94836, -77.04493 (decimal degrees)
38°56'54" N, 77°02'42" W (degrees°minutes'seconds")
- Approximate UTM coordinates
- 18/322789/4313034 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Washington West
- Average daily traffic (as of 2007)
- 13,774
- Inventory numbers
- NRHP 80000348 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 12237 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
- Inspection report (as of June 2017)
- Overall condition: Fair
Superstructure condition rating: Satisfactory (6 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Good (7 out of 9)
Sufficiency rating: 50.7 (out of 100)
View more at BridgeReports.com
Update Log
- March 3, 2022: New photo from Dave King
- February 19, 2020: New photo from Geoff Hubbs
- July 13, 2019: HAER photos posted by James Baughn
- February 27, 2013: Updated by Andy Peters: adds NHRP reference number; changes primary name of bridge; adds name of builders
- May 4, 2010: New Street View added by Nathan Holth
Sources
- Nathan Holth
- HAER DC-12 - Boulder Bridge, Spanning Rock Creek at Beach Drive, South of Joyce Road, Washington, District of Columbia, DC
- Andy Peters - anpete1971 [at] gmail [dot] com
- Geoff Hubbs
- Dave King - DKinghawkfan [at] hotmail [dot] com