Historic Bridges of the U.S. | Sauk Creek Bridge

Contact webmaster

On this page: Photos · Map · Facts · Categories · Update Log · Sources · Comments

Photos

< Previous (1 of 11) Next >

The west side

This is the only metal, kingpost truss bridge in Wisconsin. The bridge was built to be a pedestrian bridge and has never been anything else, although it was moved to this location in 1925.

It crosses Sauk Creek, which drains into the Port Washington Harbor, on Lake Michigan.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in August 2007

< Previous (2 of 11) Next >

The south portal

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in August 2007

< Previous (3 of 11) Next >

The east side

There is a condominium complex on the north shore of Sauk Creek. There is no access to the pier from the condo campus, nor to this bridge.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in August 2007

< Previous (4 of 11) Next >

The deck

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in August 2007

< Previous (5 of 11) Next >

Oblique view

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in August 2007

< Previous (6 of 11) Next >

Keep off the grass? No Smoking? Who knows?

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in August 2007

< Previous (7 of 11) Next >

Truss detail

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in August 2007

< Previous (8 of 11) Next >

Entrance to WE Energies Port Washington Power Plant

I cannot confirm if this bridge belongs to the City of Port Washington or to WE Energies. The power plant is located on the south shore of Sauk Creek. The bridge allows access to the edge of the harbor and is used primarily by anglers who cast off the edge of a pier that, in the past, supplied the power plant with coal. (The plant has been rebuilt as a natural gas plant.)

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in August 2007

< Previous (9 of 11) Next >

View Of Elevation, Looking South

Well, looking east, actually. To the east is an overhead crane that was used for unloading coal when the Wepco (Wisconsin Electric Power Company, now WeEnergies) power plant was coal fired.

The HAER photos were taken by Martin Stupich, July 7, 1987, and he provided the captions. Apparently, his direction got twisted slightly when he found this bridge.

Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record

View photos at Library of Congress

< Previous (10 of 11) Next >

Detail View Of East Truss

The Wepco plant, to the south of the bridge.

Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record

View photos at Library of Congress

< Previous (11 of 11) Next >

General View Of West Truss, Looking East

Actually, the east truss, looking south.

Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record

View photos at Library of Congress

Map

Vicinity Map

Vicinity map

Map links:

Facts

Overview: Pony truss bridge over Sauk Creek on Acess Road in Port Washington
Location: Port Washington, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin
Status: Open to pedestrians
History: Moved to this location ca. 1925
Design: Kingpost pony truss
Dimensions: Length of largest span: 40.4 ft.
Total length: 42.3 ft.
Deck width: 11.5 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude: +43.38660, -87.86935 (decimal degrees)
43°23'12" N, 87°52'10" W (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates: 16/429586/4804114 (zone/easting/northing)
USGS topographic map: Port Washington East
Inventory number: BH 34902 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Inspection (as of 08/2006): Deck condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Superstructure condition rating: Critical (2 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Poor (4 out of 9)
Appraisal: Structurally deficient
Sufficiency rating: 21.0 (out of 100)
Average daily traffic (as of 2005): 1

Update Log

July 29, 2008: New photos from J.R. Manning
February 3, 2008: New photos from J.R. Manning

Sources

J.R. Manning - thekitchenguy [at] sbcglobal [dot] net
HAER WI-40 - Sauk Creek Bridge, Spanning Sauk Creek in Port Washington Harbor, Port Washington, Ozaukee County, WI

Post a comment here · Contact webmaster

Comments

Sauk Creek Bridge

Posted February 3, 2008, by J.R. Manning (thekitchenguy [at] sbcglobal [dot] net)

This bridge can be seen in a 1935 photograph that is part of a magazine article that can be found at http://www.wepowerthefuture.com/wepowernews/news_20050731_topplant.pdf

There is a flat slab bridge just to the west of this King post truss that carries Wisconsin Street across Sauk Creek. If the King post truss shown in these photos is not the original bridge captioned here, this flat slab might have replaced the original subject bridge. There is evidence on the abutments that an older bridge was here prior to the slab.

I have not been able to locate any other spans that cross Sauk Creek.