Hell's Gate Bridge
Facts
- Overview
- Pratt through truss bridge over Choccolocco Creek on Boiling Spring Road in Oxford
- Location
- Oxford, Calhoun County, Alabama
- Status
- Closed to all traffic
- Design
- Pinned Pratt through truss
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 106.0 ft.
Total length: 170.9 ft.
Deck width: 12.1 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 15.3 ft.
- Also called
- Boiling Spring Road Bridge
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +33.60645, -85.79017 (decimal degrees)
33°36'23" N, 85°47'25" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 16/612241/3719177 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Oxford
- Average daily traffic (as of 1993)
- 1,200
- Inventory numbers
- AL 817 (Alabama bridge number)
BH 10082 (Bridgehunter.com ID) - Inspection report (as of September 2002)
- Overall condition: Poor
Superstructure condition rating: Serious (3 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Satisfactory (6 out of 9)
Deck condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Sufficiency rating: 2 (out of 100)
View more at BridgeReports.com
Update Log
- January 8, 2023: New photos from Brian R. Warren
- July 19, 2019: Updated by Roger Deschner: Added category "Haunted"
- July 19, 2019: Updated by Andy Peters: changes location from Choccolocco to Oxford
- October 9, 2018: Updated by Christopher Finigan: Added category "Pin-connected"
- October 8, 2018: Updated by Luke: Added common name
- November 13, 2014: New photos from Ben Tate
- September 26, 2013: Updated by J.P.: updated gps location
- June 25, 2012: Updated by Tony Dillon: Took the word "Covered" out of the description.
- February 21, 2012: New photos from marty mccary
Sources
- Andy Peters - anpete1971 [at] gmail [dot] com
- marty mccary - marty [dot] mccary [at] yahoo [dot] com
- Tony Dillon - spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com
- J.P. - wildcatjon2000 [at] gmail [dot] com
- Ben Tate - benji5221 [at] yahoo [dot] com
- Luke
- Brian R. Warren
Comments
The legend states that the couple killed on said bridge. If you STOP midway they can be seen.
Thanks,Luke.This is the bridge.It was on MSN and the article said it was an urban legend about people who supposedly died on this bridge and also some ghosts involved.That's why I said it was eerie.
This is it, George Oakley.
Found this blurb in an 'on this day' type article:
Dec. 28, 1990, in The Star: The historic span over Choccolocco Creek here is now a troubled bridge over water. A car skidded on the Boiling Springs Road Bridge just after midnight Thursday, snapping an iron truss. The bridge is now out of service — expected to be closed for at least three weeks. "When an old bridge like that gets hit, it's just real susceptible to damage," said Calhoun County Assistant Engineer Scott Holladay, who was redirecting motorists this morning. "All the iron trusses on the sides and overtop are carrying part of the load." Most of the single-lane bridge is still intact, though the wooden planks in the center are buckled, and a truss sticks out from its side. Eric Isom of Anniston was driving a 1990 Nissan when the car spun sideways on the damp span, according to a state trooper spokesman.
http://www.annistonstar.com/monday/almanac-monday-december/a...
I am in agreement with both Anthony and Nathan. I deliberately used a wide date range, knowing that the occasional post-1900 bridge featured decorative portals - ie the 1902 Long Shoals Bridge in Bourbon, Co. Kansas.
But yes, I think pre-1900 is a reasonably safe bet.
The portal bracing with circles in them are definitely more akin to around 1890 than anything post 1900.
Agreed. My guess, closer to ca. 1890 based on the lightweight decorative bracing.
This bridge looks much older than 1930. I am guessing 1890-1910.
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/al/calhoun/817/
11/20/22