Martha Washington Bridge

Photos 

The east portal

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in March 2008

Map 

The Washington Highlands 

This bridge is just one component of one of the first planned "Garden Communities." Designed in 1916, the roads were planned to discourage through traffic, yet allow easy access for residents and for lots of park land. The roads were designed to follow the contours of the existing land rather than to try level the area.

From 1870 to 1910 and the development of the Washington Highlands, this was the farm of Captain Frederick Pabst. It was here The Captain raised stock and hops for his Pabst Brewery. (His beer would go on to win the Blue Ribbon at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago and become known as "That Blue Ribbon Beer.")

Facts 

Overview

Concrete arch bridge over Martha Washington Drive and Schoonmaker Creek on W. Washington Blvd. in Wauwatosa

Location

Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Status

Open to traffic

History

Built 1964

Design

Closed-spandrel concrete arch with stone facing

Dimensions

Length of largest span: 61.4 ft.
Total length: 63.7 ft.
Deck width: 29.9 ft.

Recognition

Listed as a contributing resource to the Washington Highlands Historic District

Approximate latitude, longitude

+43.05900, -87.99100   (decimal degrees)
43°03'32" N, 87°59'28" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")

Approximate UTM coordinates

16/419302/4767843 (zone/easting/northing)

USGS topographic map

Milwaukee

Inventory number

BH 34882 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Inspection (as of 11/2010)

Deck condition rating: Satisfactory (6 out of 9)
Superstructure condition rating: Satisfactory (6 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Good (7 out of 9)
Appraisal: Functionally obsolete
Sufficiency rating: 80.4 (out of 100)

Average daily traffic (as of 2009)

2,000

Categories 

Update Log 

• March 16, 2008: Essay added by J.R. Manning

Sources 

• J.R. Manning - thekitchenguy [at] sbcglobal [dot] net

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