Willow Run Expressway Bridge R02 (Westbound)

Map 

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Facts 

Overview

Beam bridge over Conrail on US-12 Westbound in Ypsilanti

Location

Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, Michigan

Status

Open to traffic

History

Built 1941; Rehabilitated 1966; Rehabilitated 1995

Design

These virtual twin structures, one carrying eastbound traffic and the other westbound, are similar in design and construction varying only with differences in dimensions. Both consist of three spans, supported by two piers and concrete abutments. Each carries four 11' lanes and two 14' paved shoulders carried by continuous concrete T-beams.
These bridges created a grade separation for the first limited access highway in Michigan, crossing railroad tracks that supplied the Willow Run B-24 bomber plant. The expressway, in turn, carried the huge workforce from Detroit to the Willow Run plant. The twin bridges are the only extant remains of the original expressway.

Dimensions

Length of largest span: 65.9 ft.
Total length: 154.9 ft.
Deck width: 70.5 ft.

Also called

US-12 WB

Approximate latitude, longitude

+42.24722, -83.56000   (decimal degrees)
42°14'50" N, 83°33'36" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")

Approximate UTM coordinates

17/288802/4680398 (zone/easting/northing)

USGS topographic map

Ypsilanti East

Inventory number

BH 37119 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Inspection (as of 07/2006)

Deck condition rating: Very Good (8 out of 9)
Superstructure condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Good (7 out of 9)
Sufficiency rating: 87.5 (out of 100)

Average daily traffic (as of 2003)

14,048

Categories 

Update Log 

• August 9, 2008: Added by J.R. Manning

Sources 

• J.R. Manning - thekitchenguy [at] sbcglobal [dot] net
• HAER MI-97-B - Willow Run Expressway Bridge No. R02, Spanning Conrail Railway, westbound, at US-12, Ypsilanti vicinity, Washtenaw County, MI

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