Historic Bridges of the U.S. | Holton Avenue Viaduct

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Photos

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Water Street Goes Under Holton Street

The west side of the south end of the bridge.

The city built a "Marsupial Bridge" (a pedestrian and bicycle path) beneath the main deck in 2005. It crosses the Milwaukee River, connecting the Brady Street area with the Beer Line.

The span over the river is a bascule span that is no longer operational. Photos of the bascule span follow below.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The West Face

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in June 2008

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The East Face

Water Street passes beneath here. The entrance to the Marsupial Bridge is just to the right, under the deck.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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Looking north

The road curves after the transition from North Van Buren Street. It curves again on the north end of the viaduct.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The Government Resurfacing Plaque

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The East Face

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in June 2008

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Typical Column and Footing

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in June 2008

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The East Side

Note how the bridge curves again at the north end.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in June 2008

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Footbridge Below the Main Deck

This "Marsupial Bridge" was added in 2005, built with funds from CMAQ, the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program of the Federal Highway Administration.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in June 2008

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Underneath & Barrel shot of footbridge

The Marsupial bridge is 642 feet long, 10 feet wide with usable width of 8 feet. It spans the Milwaukee River for 200 feet at a level about 32 feet above normal water elevation.

The deck is paved with Brazilian ipe wood, the railing is comprised of mahogany slats topped by a stainless steel railing. Lighting is built into the bridge to provide illumination at night.

Security cameras are mounted along the structure.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in June 2008

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Underneath - West Side

Looking north.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in June 2008

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Supports Curve to meet Van Buren Street

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in June 2008

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The East Side

As seen from Marshall Street

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in June 2008

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The West Face

As seen from the Pleasant Street Bridge. The span directly above the river is a bascule span that is no longer operational. According the some historical records, the bascule replaced a lift bridge.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in June 2008

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The Bascule Span - East Side

Part of the bascule mechanism is extant. Note the pivot axle at the top of the piers, just below the deck. The arched span is comprised of the movable spans, note the center joint.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The East Face

Looking southwest.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The Bascule Mechanism

Even though it is no longer operational, some of the mechanism is still in place.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The Counterweights

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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Center Joint

The center joint has been stapled shut.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The Bascule Span

As part of the 1987 redecking of this bridge, the bascule span was disabled and paved over.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The Beer Line

The street below is called "Commerce Street" and this area is known as The Beer Line. The Schlitz Brewing Company was located several blocks downriver. The railroad climbed up and out of the Milwaukee River Valley along this route, below this viaduct. Part of the old railroad trestle is still here.

Byron Kilbourn's railroad ran along here, serving both the Schlitz and Pabst breweries, genesis of the name, "Beer Line."

Commerce Street is over what was once an ill-fated canal project. The canal was supposed to connect Lake Michigan to the Rock River. The grand scheme was to complete a waterway from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, via the Erie Canal, the Great Lakes, this canal, the Rock River and Mississippi River. The canal project failed, was filled in and became Commerce Street.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The Pedestrian Stairway

Residents of Brewers Hill, the neighborhood on top of the bluff, used this stairway to go to their jobs on Commerce Street.

The stairway is not connected to the Marsupial Bridge but, according to city officials, there are plans to connect the Marsupial Bridge, via stairs, to Commerce Street.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The Beer Line Railroad Trestle

As seen from the Holton Street Viaduct footbridge.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The North Abutment

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The West Face, Looking South

Although all but one of the major breweries that made Milwaukee "Beer City" are gone, the Lakefront Brewery (the Cream City Brick building on the right) continues to fill the air around this viaduct with the fragrant aroma of brewing beer.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The North Portal

At one time, traffic from Reservoir Avenue (right) were able to turn right and merge into southbound traffic. In the interest of safety, that access has been blocked.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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Resevoir Avenue Intersection

The concrete railing continues west from the bridge along the top of the bluff.

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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The Deck, Looking South

Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2008

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Map

Vicinity Map

Vicinity map

Map links:

Facts

Overview: Viaduct over N. Water Street, Commerce Street and Milwaukee River in Milwaukee
Location: Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Status: Open to traffic
History: Built 1926; modernized 1987; Marsupial Bridge added 2005
Design: Bascule
Dimensions: Length of largest span: 96.1 ft.
Total length: 938.0 ft.
Deck width: 60.0 ft.
Also called: Edward D. Holton Viaduct
Incorrectly identified as "Van Buren St. Bridge" on NBI.
Approximate latitude, longitude: +43.05434, -87.90434 (decimal degrees)
43°03'16" N, 87°54'16" W (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates: 16/426353/4767245 (zone/easting/northing)
USGS topographic map: Milwaukee
Inventory number: BH 34868 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Inspection (as of 10/2007): Deck condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Superstructure condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Appraisal: Functionally obsolete
Sufficiency rating: 70.8 (out of 100)
Average daily traffic (as of 2005): 8,200

Update Log

July 25, 2008: Updated by J.R. Manning
July 24, 2008: Updated by J.R. Manning: Added alternate name
July 2, 2008: New photos from J.R. Manning
June 29, 2008: Updated by J.R. Manning: Corrected Name and Bridge Type

Sources

J.R. Manning - thekitchenguy [at] sbcglobal [dot] net

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