Skip to main content

The National Road - Ohio - Zanesville Y Bridge

Image
By
Zanesville, Ohio is home to one of the more unique bridges in the United States.  Situated at the confluence of the Licking and Muskingum Rivers, the 'Y' bridge consists of three 'legs' that meet over the rivers to form a Y.  As a result, it is possible to cross the bridge while beginning and ending on the same side of the river as you started from.  For over 200 years, five different versions of this unique bridge has crossed the two rivers in Zanesville.
(Mike Austing)
The first 'Y' Bridge was built in 1814 - a wooden trestle style bridge - and lasted only four years.  In 1819, a new second bridge would be opened and would stand until it was condemned as unsafe 12 years later.  The third Y bridge consisted of three covered bridges and stood until 1900.

For nearly a century - US 40 traffic makes either a left (westbound) or right (eastbound) hand turn at the center of the bridge.  (Doug Kerr)
In 1902, the fourth version of the famous landmark was constructed and carried traffic until 1979.  It was this structure that led Amelia Earhart to say that Zanesville was, "the most recognizable city in the country."  The Main Street leg of structure had a lift span over the Muskingum River.  The above-grade superstructure of the lift was removed in 1973.  In 1979, the entire bridge structure was deemed unsafe and closed to vehicular traffic.  Construction on the fifth and current span began in 1983 with the new bridge opening to traffic in the fall of 1984.

(Mike Austing)
The best vantage spot to see the 'Y' Bridge is from the Putnam Hill Park Overlook which sits just south of the bridge.


Site Navigation:
Sources & Links:
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Crescent City Connection (New Orleans, LA)

By
The Crescent City Connection is a massive dual-span steel truss bridge that spans the lower Mississippi River at downtown New Orleans, about 95 river miles upstream from the mouth of the great river at the Head of Passes Light. If counted as a single bi-directional highway bridge, the parallel spans combine to form the single busiest bridge on the Mississippi River and its importance as a linchpin in the region’s transportation network cannot be overstated. While there have been various schemes over the years to construct bridges downriver from Algiers Point, this bridge has been the southernmost bridge on the Mississippi River since its initial construction in the 1950s. The years immediately following the end of World War II were a transformational period in the history of New Orleans. Already one of the great economic and cultural centers of the American Deep South, it was recognized at this time that major changes and improvements to the city’s transportation infrastructure would b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Old US Route 99 through Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch

By
This summer I had a look into the alignment history of US Route 99 through the Tulare County communities of Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch.  While this slab below might seem like much it is one of the few remaining reminders of how US Route 99 was during the 1920s in Tulare County. This blog is part of the larger Gribblenation US Route 99 Page.  For more information pertaining to the other various segments of US Route 99 and it's three-digit child routes check out the link the below. Gribblenation US Route 99 Page Part 1; the history of US Route 99 in Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch Tipton and Tulare were both founded in 1872 as sidings of the Southern Pacific Railroad.  The Southern Pacific Railroad laid the groundwork for development of southern San Joaquin Valley.  Previous to the Southern Pacific Railroad travel via wagon or foot in Central California tended to avoid San Joaquin Valley in favor of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road.  The Stockton Los Ange...
Post a Comment
Read more

Former US Route 101 and California State Route 41 through Paso Robles

By
Paso Robles is a city located on the Salinas River of San Luis Obispo County, California.  As originally configured the surface alignments of US Route 101 and California State Route 41 converged in downtown Paso Robles.  US Route 101 originally was aligned through Paso Robles via Spring Street.  California State Route 41 entered the City of Paso Robles via Union Road and 13th Street where it intersected US Route 101 at Spring Street.  US Route 101 and California State Route 41 departed Paso Robles southbound via a multiplex which split near Templeton.   Pictured above is the cover of the September/October 1957 California Highways & Public Works which features construction of the Paso Robles Bypass.  Pictured below is the 1935 Division of Highways Map of San Luis Obispo County which depicts US Route 101 and California State Route 41 intersecting in downtown Paso Robles.   Part 1; the history of US Route 101 and California State Route 41 i...
Post a Comment
Read more