Bennett's Meadow Bridge
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The Route 10 bridge, also known as Bennett's Meadow Bridge is a 215.5-metre (707 ft) steel stringer bridge crossing the Connecticut River in the town of Northfield, Massachusetts. The bridge carries state highway Route 10 and was built in 1969.
[edit] History
The town of Northfield first authorized a bridge at or near the site of the current bridge in 1810. The bridge was built by a private corporation with the town holding stock. The new bridge was destroyed in a flood after only a few years. A horse boat ferry, known as Bennett's Meadow Ferry, replaced the river crossing.[1] In 1897, the state legislature authorized Franklin County to construct a second bridge at or near the site of the ferry at a cost not to exceed $35,000. The new bridge was designed by Edward Shaw of Boston and was opened to traffic in 1899.[2] The bridge was one of the first bridges erected by a then novel method without the use of false works that has since become standard procedure.[3] The 1899 bridge was later demolished and a third bridge (the current bridge) was constructed just south of the former bridge, resulting also in the slight relocation of the highway.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ J.H. Temple,G. Sheldon, and M.T. Stratton, A History of the Town of Northfield, (J. Munsell, 1875)
- ^ Massachusetts General Court, Acts of 1897, Chapter 497
- ^ "A Novel Method of Bridge Erection; Connecticut River Bridge, Northfield, Mass.", Engineering News, Sept. 7, 1899.
Rt. 10
