Old US 131 Bridge

Photos 

MI-113-1

Photo taken by Ben Coleman III, June 1996, for HAER

View photos at Library of Congress

BH Photo #121359

Map 

Facts 

Overview

Lost Deck girder bridge over Muskegon River on US-131 (Old) near Stanwood

Location

Stanwood, Mecosta County, Michigan

Status

Replaced by new bridge

History

Built 1929-30; Replaced 1996

Builders

- Joliet Bridge & Iron Co. of Joliet, Illinois
- Massillon Bridge Co. of Massillon, Ohio

Design

"The Old US-131 Bridge is constructed of reinforced concrete with four spans supported by three solid concrete counterfort piers. At the north and south approaches are reinforced concrete abutments. The four bridge spans measure 85.12 meters (280 feet) in length and 9.12 meters (30 feet) in width. Narrow concrete walkways are located on either side of the roadway and extend the length of the bridge. Each of the four spans measures 21.28 meters (70 feet). The north and south concrete approach abutments are 4.71 meters (15.5 feet) in length. The total length of the bridge inclusind the two end abutments is 94.54 meters (311) feet.

"The bridge was constructed using standardized bridge plans developed by the Michigan State Highway Department. The bridge's 4 spans make it one of the longest surviving steel multi-girder bridges still retaining its original concrete balustrade.

"Irene Jackson and William Henry, Henry and Henry Preservation and Architectural Consultants, July 1996"
Historic American Engineering Record
`

Dimensions

Length of largest span: 70.0 ft.
Total length: 280.0 ft.
Deck width: 30.0 ft.

Also called

Northland Road Bridge

Approximate latitude, longitude

+43.60778, -85.48028   (decimal degrees)
43°36'28" N, 85°28'49" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")

Approximate UTM coordinates

16/622642/4829433 (zone/easting/northing)

Quadrangle map:

Stanwood

Inventory numbers

MINBI 54154011000B020 (Michigan bridge number on the National Bridge Inventory 2010 and before)
BH 37189 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Update Log 

• August 14, 2008: Added by J.R. Manning

Sources 

• J.R. Manning - thekitchenguy [at] sbcglobal [dot] net
• HAER MI-113 - Old US-131 Bridge, Spanning Big Cedar River, Mecosta vicinity, Mecosta County, MI

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