Facts
- Overview
- Through truss bridge over Laughery Creek on Bells Branch Road
- Status
- Open to traffic
- History
- Built 1916
- Builder
- - Oregonia Bridge Co.
- Design
- Through truss
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 142.0 ft.
Total length: 146.9 ft.
Deck width: 17.0 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 13.6 ft.
- Also called
- Bells Branch Road Bridge
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +38.93694, -85.09861 (decimal degrees)
38°56'13" N, 85°05'55" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 16/664797/4311498 (zone/easting/northing)
- USGS topographic map
- Bear Branch
- Inventory numbers
- INNBI 1500014 (Indiana bridge number on the National Bridge Inventory)
BH 15997 (Bridgehunter.com ID) - Inspection (as of 04/2007)
- Deck condition rating: Good (7 out of 9)
Superstructure condition rating: Poor (4 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Appraisal: Structurally deficient
Sufficiency rating: 34.1 (out of 100) - Average daily traffic (as of 2007)
- 85
Comments
Name plate info on the Ohio County end of the bridge:
1916
BUILT BY
THE OREGONIA BRIDGE CO.
LEBANON,OHIO
LUCIAN S. LOTTON
HENRY KAISER
HENRY BUSHMAN
COMM RS OF OHIO CO.
J.R.ELDER COUNTY AUDITOR.
A.W.KARSTETER ENGINEER.
Name plate info on the Ohio County end of the bridge:
1916
BUILT BY
THE OREGONIA BRIDGE CO.
LEBANON.OHIO
JOHN L. NOLTE
GEO.F.WOLF
FRANK BITTNER
COMM RS DEARBORN COUNTY
H.C.LUTHERBECK CO.AUDITOR
A.W.KARSTETER.CO.ENGR.
H.C. LUTHER
Yep.......the George Street Bridge. The name just escaped my memory before. Yes it was restored probably 15-20 years ago. I don't know where it or the Lost Bridge stand, I just know 2 years ago Dearborn County was seeking proposals from the firm I was with at that time. The Laughery Creek Bridge was definately the #1 priority to be restored. Hopefully the other two will follow soon.
Yeah I went down to the Tripple Whipple around the end of August to look at the construction, didn't get any pictures though. When you say Aurora bridge do you mean the George Street Bridge? It's not really in that bad of condition, but I guess it's better to do to work early rather than wait until the bridge is about to fall.
It has been in the works for a few years, but I honestly don't know where it's at now. They are currently restoring the Triple Whipple(Laughery Creek Bridge), and are also supposed to restore the Aurora Bridge. I'll try to find out more information.
That's good to hear, it really is a nice bridge in a very scenic location. Any idea when the work is to begin?
Don
Thanks for adding pictures of the Lost Bridge. The county has plans to rehab this neat bridge.
Tony
Visited the bridge today and got some pretty good pictures. Feel free to add these pics to the main description of the bridge.
