Winfield Toll Bridge
Statement of Significance
Written by Nathan Holth (HistoricBridges.org)The following text is an excerpt from comments I submitted to the National Park Service regarding the nomination which proposes to list this bridge in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Winfield Toll Bridge appears to be an example of a significant and increasingly rare bridge type. Generally reserved for long-span river crossings, riveted cantilever truss bridges like the Winfield Toll Bridge are among the largest and most iconic of bridges in the United States. Due to construction costs, the number of bridges that cross a large river is generally smaller than the number of bridges that cross small rivers. Since cantilever bridges are typically crossings for large rivers, the total number of existing cantilever truss bridges is relatively small. To make matters worse, Riveted cantilever truss bridges have in recent years faced an alarming rate of demolition. Constructed in 1955, the Winfield Toll Bridge is a later example of a riveted cantilever truss bridge. Bridges of this type were first built in the late 19th Century and became increasingly popular in the first few decades of the 20th Century. Nearly all of the 19th Century examples were replaced years ago, and today it is the bridges from the 1920s through the 1940s that are being replaced at a rapid rate today nationwide.
Earlier significant riveted cantilever truss bridges in and along West Virginia’s borders have been or are to be replaced in the immediate future. These include:
• Kanawha River on Center Street in St. Albans, Built 1934, Demolition/Replacement Planned
• Pomeroy-Mason Bridge, Ohio River, Built 1928, Demolished/Replaced 2007
• Bellaire Bridge, Benwood, WV, Built 1926, Demolition/Replacement Planned
The loss of these bridges leaves the Winfield Toll Bridge as one of the oldest of the very small number of surviving highway cantilever truss bridges in West Virginia. Because of the loss of the aforementioned earlier examples, the 1955 Winfield Toll Bridge has, in my opinion, gained historic and technological significance as a representative example of a complex and noteworthy bridge type. Like most cantilever truss bridges, the Winfield Toll Bridge’s size and complex truss configuration make the bridge an example of a significant engineering achievement. It also makes use of historical construction and fabrication techniques, particularly the use of rivets to compose built-up beams. The bridge appears to retain good historic integrity with no major alterations apparent. It is my opinion that this bridge should be listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Facts
- Overview
- Through truss bridge over Kanawha River on WV 34 in Winfield
- Location
- Putnam County, West Virginia
- Status
- Open to traffic
- History
- Built 1955
- Design
- Cantilevered Warren through truss
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 462.0 ft.
Total length: 1,432.2 ft.
Deck width: 27.9 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 14.1 ft.
- Recognition
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on December 15, 2011
- Also called
- Kanawha River WV 34 Bridge
Ross Booth Memorial Bridge - Approximate latitude, longitude
- +38.53500, -81.89833 (decimal degrees)
38°32'06" N, 81°53'54" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 17/421704/4265559 (zone/easting/northing)
- USGS topographic map
- Winfield
- Inventory numbers
- NRHP 11000931 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 35303 (Bridgehunter.com ID) - Inspection (as of 12/2011)
- Deck condition rating: Excellent (9 out of 9)
Superstructure condition rating: Good (7 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Good (7 out of 9)
Sufficiency rating: 62.8 (out of 100) - Average daily traffic (as of 2010)
- 8,000
Update Log
- December 1, 2011: Essay added by Nathan Holth
- April 22, 2010: New Street View added by Nathan Holth
- March 26, 2009: New photos from Joshua Collins
Sources
- Joshua Collins - Bigjc1979 [at] aol [dot] com
- Nathan Holth
Comments
I didn't nominate the bridge, I merely submitted comments to an already-completed nomination. Submitting comments mainly helps make sure the nomination goes through and is not rejected.
Preparing the actual nomination is a lot more work. However, the way to start in many states is to prepare something that is usually called something like a "preliminary eligibility determination" form for the state SHPO. Similar to an actual nomination, but less formal and done through the SHPO, this prepares the groundwork for an actual nomination and you get some input and help from your state SHPO.
Nathan Holth, you must have a direct Hotline to the National Park Service review board as this bridge is now on the NRHP!
Now if someone could help me with my proposals ...
People from this site who are looking to nominate bridges may not want to overlook the Parkersburg Memorial Bridge. I am going to try to get photos of this bridge because it is not a just a truss bridge like it says on this site. I am positive it is a cantilever bridge with through truss approach spans, I am going to work on photos this coming weekend.
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/wv/putnam/40A035/