Rating:
2 votes

Kirby Creek Bridge

Jackson County, Alabama

Photo 

Looking south from new northbound bridge

This bridge was demolished in 2003 for the southbound lanes of AL 35 when it was being four-laned. The road here was closed for leveling and reconstruction when this pic was taken. The demolition of this bridge was very unfortunate.

Photo taken by JT Legg in November 2002

BH Photo #162545

Map 

Facts 

Overview
Lost concrete arch bridge over Kirby Creek on AL 35 in Powell
Location
Jackson County, Alabama
Status
Bridge has been replaced.
History
Built 1929
Design
Open spandrel arch
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 134.8 ft.
Total length: 256.9 ft.
Deck width: 20.0 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+34.55997, -85.94518   (decimal degrees)
34°33'36" N, 85°56'43" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/596768/3824752 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Dutton
Inventory numbers
AL 657 (Alabama bridge number)
BH 36065 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Alabama (973)
Arch (12,308)
Built 1929 (1,023)
Built during 1920s (10,034)
Deck arch (11,548)
Functionally obsolete (6,180)
Jackson County, Alabama (27)
Lost (25,669)
 Lost 2003 (522)
Lost during 2000s (4,236)
Open-spandrel arch (777)
Owned by state (16,154)
Replaced by new bridge (17,326)
Span length 125-175 feet (4,267)
Total length 250-500 feet (5,298)

Update Log 

  • June 8, 2010: Updated by Bill Eichelberger: Bridge has been replaced.
  • April 17, 2010: New photo from James Legg

Sources 

  • JT Legg - talmo346 [at] hotmail [dot] com
  • Bill Eichelberger
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Comments 

Kirby Creek Bridge
Posted March 9, 2013, by Caroline Lynch Minor (carolinelynchminor [at] gmail [dot] com)

Indeed this was an unfortunate loss of a beautifully designed bridge! As the saying goes, 'they just don't make them like this anymore!' Just a few miles below where this wonderful structure stood is the B. B. Comer Bridge. The state wants to demolish it, as well! The B. B. Comer is the LAST remaining memorial toll bridge in Alabama! A 2000+ member strong group is working to save this bridge, and convert it to a public attraction.

The Kirby Creek Bridge and The B. B. Comer were built around the same time on the same stretch of AL Hwy. 35 in Jackson County. They both served to link Sand Mountain with Scottsboro, and the rest of Jackson County. Both were / are historically significant.