Rating:
4 votes

Central Bridge

Campbell County, Kentucky, and Hamilton County, Ohio

Photos 

Photo taken by Bill Eichelberger

Enlarge

BH Photo #127467

Map 

Facts 

Overview
Lost through truss bridge over Ohio River on US 27
Location
Newport, Campbell County, Kentucky, and Hamilton County, Ohio
Status
No longer exists
History
Built 1891 by the King Bridge Co.; demolished using explosives in 1992
Builder
- King Bridge Co. of Cleveland, Ohio
Design
Pin-connected cantilevered through truss
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 509.7 ft.
Total length: 2,758.2 ft. (0.5 mi.)
Deck width: 17.1 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 21.2 ft.
Recognition
Posted to the National Register of Historic Places
Also called
US27 Ohio River Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+39.09561, -84.50110   (decimal degrees)
39°05'44" N, 84°30'04" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/716107/4330359 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Covington
Inventory number
BH 18740 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (7,111)
Arch Lattice Railing (19)
Built 1891 (220)
Built during 1890s (2,849)
Campbell County, Kentucky (23)
Cantilevered (305)
Cantilevered truss (249)
HAER documented (1,103)
Hamilton County, Ohio (107)
Kentucky (1,266)
King Bridge Co. (340)
Lost (23,136)
Lost 1992 (451)
Lost during 1990s (3,900)
NR-listed (2,890)
 Newport, Kentucky (8)
Ohio (3,255)
Ohio River (111)
Owned by state (15,381)
Pin-connected (3,800)
Span length 500-1000 feet (374)
State line crossing (801)
Structurally deficient (15,332)
Through truss (14,435)
Total length over 2500 feet (839)
Truss (31,779)
US 27 (17)
Warren through truss (1,578)
Warren truss (6,360)

Update Log 

  • January 27, 2019: New photos from Melissa Brand-Welch
  • March 3, 2014: New photo from Bill Eichelberger
  • February 16, 2010: Updated by Bill Eichelberger: Added GPS coordinates.
  • July 29, 2009: New photos from Bill Eichelberger
  • July 15, 2009: New photos from Bill Eichelberger
  • November 12, 2008: New photo from Bill Eichelberger
  • October 15, 2008: Updated by Bill Eichelberger: Changed the construction date, date lost and bridge type.

Sources 

  • Bill Eichelberger
  • Central Bridge, Campbell County, KY - Lost bridge at Newport, KY
  • HAER KY-28 - U.S. Route 27 Central Bridge, Spanning Ohio River, Newport, Campbell County, KY
  • Melissa Brand-Welch - melissabrandwelch [at] msn [dot] com
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Comments 

Central Bridge
Posted July 17, 2018, by Luke

Nonexistent for 80 years, since OSHA was formed in 1971.

Central Bridge
Posted July 17, 2018, by Carol Edgar (caedgar1937 [at] gmail [dot] com)

Four men lost their lives during the construction of the Central Bridge. One, a family member was painting the bridge when he fell to his death below. Where was KYOSHA then?

Central Bridge
Posted May 28, 2012, by Bill Eichelberger (wallyum [at] hotmail [dot] com)

Doubtful, Chris. Cincinnati and Newport have little respect for anything of historical significance. If that's what you're interested in, this is really a lousy place to live.

Central Bridge
Posted May 28, 2012, by Chris Wanninger

I would have to guess that if this bridge was still standing today, they would not make the decision to demolish it. What a beautiful bridge this was!

Central Bridge
Posted March 12, 2011, by Anonymous

I goofed (hehehe) I wanted to say (it was built in 1890, not 1891 or 1872 corrected

Central Bridge
Posted March 12, 2011, by Brad Lain

If you look on page / picture 38 of the Central Bridge, it says it was built in 1890 not in 1891 or 1972

Ohio River US 27 Bridge
Posted August 1, 2009, by Anthony Dillon (spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com)

One of those monumental spans that makes you shake your head and wonder "what the H...! were they thinking"!!

Ohio River US 27 Bridge
Posted August 1, 2009, by Tom Hoffman (tehoffm [at] hotmail [dot] com)

The HAER and Bill's photos on this monumental structure that once stood. Seeing all of these photos just shows how neat a bridge the first standard cantaleiver actually was. I was young when the bridge was lost and could not understand design details too well before. I really don't think this bridge was as narrow as 17 feet which the L&N probably was when it was open. It was probably between 22 and 25 feet wide. Does anybody know the truss design for the two KY side spans. They look like camelback with double intersection and almost PA like in the middle. I've never seen any other design like this listed on HB or elsewhere. The new bridge today probably carries the same amount of traffic the old bridge did. It was just a shame OH and KY didn't have the mind to keep a bridge like this around for generations to enjoy.

Ohio River US 27 Bridge
Posted December 13, 2008, by Historic Old 27 (info [at] HistoricOld27 [dot] com)

A great bridge along Historic Old 27!

A Better Way to Travel www.HistoricOld27.com

Ohio River US 27 Bridge
Posted September 10, 2008, by Bill Eichelberger (wallyum [at] hotmail [dot] com)

The thing I remember most about it is how it sang, and how slick it got when it was wet from fog. One night I crossed from the Ohio side and found one of my friends wrecked on the Kentucky side. He'd forgotten how slick it could be. Killed the car, btw.

These turned up in a box of pics I hadn't looked through in years. Glad you liked them.

Ohio River US 27 Bridge
Posted September 8, 2008, by Anthony Dillon (spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com)

I noticed when I was there a few years ago they had placed the 1891 King Bridge Co. plaques on the new bridge. Talk about adding insult to injury.

Ohio River US 27 Bridge
Posted September 8, 2008, by Tom

By the way, Thanks for adding that photo Bill!

Ohio River US 27 Bridge
Posted September 8, 2008, by Tom Hoffman (tehoffm [at] hotmail [dot] com)

Bill, the picture you posted here is that of the old Central Bridge. It was built in 1891 and was like the first of its kind cantaleiver through truss. My great-grandfather collected tolls there until they discontinued. Pics of this bring back memories of crossing to visit family. Even with the distinction of this bridge nothing was done to save it and it was lost in 1992. The bridge description here may be an offtrack one of the L&N Bridge.

Ohio River US 27 Bridge
Posted September 8, 2008, by Todd Walker (mrwalk08 [at] aol [dot] com)

I am happy somebody found and posted a pic of this classic Cincinatti bridge. It was a shame it was dynamited then replaced with the ugly truss that sits there now.