"The structure is primarily an earth-filled concrete arch consisting of three arches over the river and seven spans over land with a maximum span of 92 feet."On April 1, 1986, the Michigan State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) determined that the Shiawassee Street Bridge was eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridge was determined as such due to the distinctive characteristics of its historical setting along with being a fine representative of concrete arch design.
"The primary unique qualities of this bridge are associated with the integration of three basic design types within one structure, which originally blended in with the surrounding architecture and land use. The industrial area in which this bridge was constructed included the constraints of existing railroad tracks, industrial and commercial buildings, existing road grades at both ends as well as the Grand River. These constraints functioned to define a bridge which consists of concrete arch over the river, a through girder structure over the railroad tracks and T-beam design connecting the other two types.
As a result of an environmental assessment, bridge inspection and concrete core samples used for analysis of chloride contenet, it was recommended that the Shiawasse Street Bridge be replaced. The structural intefrityh was determned to be compormised beyond the feasibility to rehabilitate the bridge. This documentation was undertaken to fulfill stipulations of the memorandum of Agreement.
Blair R. Webster
Snell Environmental Group, Inc.
1120 May St.
Lansing, MI 48906
`
