Photos
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Side view Photos taken October 2005 by Jason & Birgit Smith |
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Oblique view |
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West portal |
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Deck view |
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Approach |
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Center pier |
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Railing |
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Center plaque Wrought Iron Bridge Co. Canton, O Builders Patented Nov. 21st, 1876 |
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Endpost plaque Patented 1878 |
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Scenic view from the bridge |
Facts
- Overview
- Through truss bridge over Upper Iowa River on W. Ravine Road
- Location
- Winneshiek County, Iowa
- Status
- Closed to all traffic
- Future prospects
- Scheduled for replacement in FY 2010
- History
- Built 1878 by the Wrought Iron Bridge Co.
- Builder
- - Wrought Iron Bridge Co. of Canton, Ohio
- Design
- Main span: Pin-connected, 8-panel Pratt through truss
Approach: Pin-connected, 3-panel Pratt pony truss
- Dimensions
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Length of largest span: 116.1 ft.
Total length: 154.2 ft.
Deck width: 14.8 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 11.0 ft.
- Recognition
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +43.40292, -91.91344 (decimal degrees)
43°24'11" N, 91°54'48" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 15/587982/4806133 (zone/easting/northing)
- Land survey
- T. 99 N., R. 9 W., Sec. 9 (Bluffton Township)
- USGS topographic map
- Bluffton
- Inventory numbers
- NRHP 98000458 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 14764 (Bridgehunter.com ID) - Inspection (as of 04/2007)
- 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: 15.0 (out of 100) - Average daily traffic (as of 2001)
- 40
Comments
They should try to relocate the road down from the bridge. It is a rare bridge in an incredible location, and it should stay put. Better yet just rehab it!
Some bad news on the part of the bridge. I just received word that the Upper Bluffton Bridge was closed to traffic permanently for there was significant weakening of the carrier beams on the deck. The closure is now permanent and replacement plans are underway. It is very likely that the bridge will be demolished unless someone claims it for recreational purposes.
14 March, 2009- JS
I have fond memories of this bridge. My grandmother lives on a farm about 1/2 to 3/4 mile of this bridge. When my cousin Luke and I would stay at her house, we'd always go through the back pasture to the Upper Iowa River. When the water would get too deep, we'd get on the road. On the road, we'd try to go to Bluffton, looking for mischief. Bluffton was about 3 miles away. It was always a long walk on the way back to Grandma's. The bridge was usually our turning around point.