East Delhi Road Bridge

Photos taken 8/1/10

Rehabilitation of this bridge is now complete, and it has been reopened to traffic!

The bridge is painted a dark "burnt" orange color, and really looks nice. It's great to see a restored span painted something other than "truss bridge" green.

On Wednesday, July 22, 2009, this bridge was put back on the Huron River after rehabilitation. It should be open in several weeks, after decking has been put on the bridge and approaches are finished. See the article at the following link:

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2009/07/delhi_bridge_returned_to_its_p.html

I was looking at some pictures of the "new" bridge and compairing it to the historic photos of the older one. The two structures do match. Wrought Iron Bridge Company had many different designs that they used, but this wasn't one of the most common. I would say that they either repaired the bridge after the storm, or they had another one that they moved in. It might have been built at the same time, and maybe in the same contract.

I would like to point out that the current East Delhi Road Bridge is not a new bridge built on the site in 1917 after the original one was destroyed. It is clearly a Wrought Iron Bridge Company bridge built before 1899. The issue is whether the original bridge was replaced with one of the same vintage. Oral history suggests the original bridge was repaired and place back on its abutments, but photos suggest extensive damage not evident on the existing bridge. Here is what the National Register application says on the topic:

"The current bridge may not be the first iron truss bridge at this location. Instead it may be a bridge of the same vintage as the original that it replaced in 1918...No documentation for the bridge’s date of construction have been found, but the plaque on the portal of the bridge clearly identifies the manufacturer as the Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton, Ohio, which dates the bridge before 1899 since the company ceased to exist after this date."

Work is progressing on rehabilitation and the bridge should be reopened later this summer!

On June 6, 1917, this bridge was destroyed by a violent F4 tornado. A new bridge was built at the same location. Here are some photos of the area before and after the tornado. These images are from the Washtenaw County Historical Society and are considered in the public domain.