The National Road - Ohio - Zanesville Y Bridge

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:

Mike Austing
Doug Kerr
Y-Bridge ---Zanesville-Muskingum County Visitors Bureau
Y-Bridge of Muskingum County

Comments

What's In a Name?: When the Roads Really Do Tell a Story

Our tagline on the Gribblenation blog is "because every road tells a story". Some roads tell different stories than others. Along our travels, we may see historic markers that tell us a little story about the roads we travel or the places we pass by. Some historic markers are more general, as to telling us who lived where or what old trail traversed between two towns. During my travels across New York State and other states or provinces, I pass by many historic markers, some with interesting or amusing references to roads. I wanted to highlight a few of the markers I've seen along my travels around the Empire State and help tell their stories. Those stories may be as specific as explaining the tales of a tree that was used to help measure a distance of eight miles from Bath to Avoca in Steuben County, as referenced on the Eight Mile Tree historical marker above. They may also help point the way along historical roads first used centuries ago, or may help tell a local l...

May 2023 Ontario Trip (Part 3 of 3)

Over the years, I have made plenty of trips to Ontario, crisscrossing the southern, central and eastern parts of the province. Living in Upstate New York, it's pretty easy to visit our neighbor to the north, or is that our neighbor to the west? Ottawa is one of my favorite cities to visit anywhere in the world, plus I've discovered the charm of Kingston, the waterfalls of Hamilton (which is on the same Niagara Escarpment that brings us Niagara Falls), the sheer beauty of the Bruce Peninsula, and more. But I hadn't explored much of Cottage Country. So I decided to change that, and what better time to go than over Memorial Day weekend, when the daylight is long and I have an extra day to explore. On the third and final day of my trip, I started in Huntsville and made my way through Muskoka District and Haliburton County, passing by many lakes along the way. I stopped in towns such as Dorset, Haliburton and Bancroft before making a beeline down to Belleville and then over th...

2018 Mojave Road Trip Part 2; The deadly desert highway (California State Route 127 and Nevada State Route 373)

After leaving Barstow via Old Highway 58 my next destination was in Death Valley. To access Death Valley from rural San Bernardino County required a trek on north on Interstate 15 to California State Route 127 which becomes Nevada State Route 373 at the state line. Along I-15 I encountered the road sign oddity that is Zzyzx Road about eight miles south of Baker. Zzyzx Road is a four mile road that used to go to the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa. The spa was founded in the 1940s and the owner made up the name "Zzyzx" to claim it was the last word in the English Language. The spa has been shut down since the 1970s and is now part of a Desert Studies Center for California State University. The southern terminus of CA 127 in Baker is located at I-15 exit 246. CA 127 is a 91 mile north/south highway which runs to the Nevada State Line in Inyo County. CA 127 is called Death Valley Road from I-15 northward. South of CA 127 ...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog