oldest bridge on the interstate system?

[agentsteel53]

anyone know what the oldest bridge is, which carries interstate route traffic?

honorable mention would possibly be the 1928 Hyperion Ave. viaduct in Los Angeles, which was built in 1928, and now is an overpass to I-5 - but does not carry I-5 itself.

certainly somewhere there has to be some ancient bridge which was grandfathered in.  New York maybe?

[NE2]

This could totally be a trivia question. Unless there's an older one out there, 1908: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulkeley_Bridge (the citation seems to be to an m.t.r post - real classy, guys)

As far as former/planned Interstates, I-484 went under an 1833 stone arch: http://www.past-inc.org/historic-bridges/stone-mainst.html
I-78 crossed the Williamsburg Bridge (1903).
I don't think any cross natural bridges, but US 11 does.

The oldest bridge called Interstate Bridge is from 1917

[agentsteel53]

I don't think any cross natural bridges, but US 11 does.

I had no idea!  I've even driven across it.

[hbelkins]

Before widening, the southbound lanes of I-75 at the Clays Ferry Bridge crossing the Kentucky River between Fayette and Madison counties used the old US 25/421 bridge built in 1946. The parallel northbound span was built in 1963. The center span was built in 1998 when the road was widened from four to six lanes.

If you take old US 25/421 underneath the interstate bridge, you can see three distinct concrete pier types for each of the three spans.

http://bridgestunnels.com/bridges/kentucky/clays-ferry-bridge-interstate-75-us-25-us-421/

[jeffandnicole]

The Ben Franklin Bridge, a suspension bridge from Camden to Philly, opened in July 1926, and now is designated I-676.

Since it preceded the interstate system, it was never conceived that it would become part of it.  Thus, we are stuck with the unusual traffic flow of an interstate highway on the Philly side of the bridge. 

In the NYC area, the Holland Tunnel was the first crossing to open in 1927.  The first PANYNJ bridges opened in 1928.

[Bruce]

The northbound Interstate Bridge, on I-5 between Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA, was opened in 1917.

[NE2]

1908

[US71]

1908

Which bridge, sir?

[NE2]

This could totally be a trivia question. Unless there's an older one out there, 1908: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulkeley_Bridge (the citation seems to be to an m.t.r post - real classy, guys)

[kphoger]

This could totally be a trivia question. Unless there's an older one out there, 1908: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulkeley_Bridge (the citation seems to be to an m.t.r post - real classy, guys)

To be fair, people can hardly be expected to read five posts up on a single-page thread to find the answer to their questions.

[agentsteel53]

not counting the natural bridge on US-11, what's the oldest bridge on a US route?  does that 1697 bridge in Philadelphia still carry US-13?

[NE2]

not counting the natural bridge on US-11, what's the oldest bridge on a US route?  does that 1697 bridge in Philadelphia still carry US-13?

Apparently yes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankford_Avenue_Bridge

[agentsteel53]

not counting the natural bridge on US-11, what's the oldest bridge on a US route?  does that 1697 bridge in Philadelphia still carry US-13?

Apparently yes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankford_Avenue_Bridge

The bridges, which were to be completed within 18 months, were to be ten feet wide and include railings along each side. The areas on either side of the bridges were to be cleared to facilitate horse and cart traffic. Each bridge was to be built by male inhabitants of the surrounding area; those who failed to appear were to be fined 20 shillings.

I knew Pennsylvania was a slave state, but I had no idea that they could just enslave half the population at will like that.

[triplemultiplex]

I knew Pennsylvania was a slave state, but I had no idea that they could just enslave half the population at will like that.

It's only slavery for poor people.
Just like always.

[roadman65]

The bridge that carries PA 611 over I-80 in Stroudsburg, PA looks like its older than the interstate system along with the rest of the bridges over I-80 in the vicinity.  It looks like it was put up in the 40's or maybe even 30's and it is part of a longer viaduct that extends beyond the interstate to the north, so is it a bridge that was built as another type of crossing that later crossed I-80?

Newark, NJ had the same situation with NJ 21 over I-78, as I-78 crossed under NJ 21 on a 1930's era viaduct that was built to span defunct rail yards that later on I-78 took part of the old rail grades to itself.  Of course, now the bridge was replaced not too long ago, but I am assuming that PA 611 in Stroudsburg had the same type of reuse of an existing area.

[Alps]

I have Bulkeley as one of the 3 oldest, but failed to note what the other 2 would be, unfortunately.

[empirestate]

As far as former/planned Interstates, I-484 went under an 1833 stone arch: http://www.past-inc.org/historic-bridges/stone-mainst.html

In that vein, then, you have 1848 for a current Interstate: I-87 under the High Bridge aqueduct.

The bridges, which were to be completed within 18 months, were to be ten feet wide and include railings along each side. The areas on either side of the bridges were to be cleared to facilitate horse and cart traffic. Each bridge was to be built by male inhabitants of the surrounding area; those who failed to appear were to be fined 20 shillings.

I knew Pennsylvania was a slave state, but I had no idea that they could just enslave half the population at will like that.

That's pretty much how roads got built before taxes were invented. You either built it yourself, or paid money in lieu of doing the work. Basically the same system we have today, except you can't usually just show up with a shovel and pitch in...

[sp_redelectric]

The northbound Interstate Bridge, on I-5 between Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA, was opened in 1917.

Not only did it also predate U.S. 99, but it also carried trolleys between Portland and Vancouver when first built.

[NE2]

The 1907 Intercity Viaduct (now eastbound I-70) between the Kansas Cities also carried trolleys (until 1936).

[mc78andrew]

What about that bridge on the brunckner expressway right where it meets the Sheridan?  The south/west bounds side looks way older than the more modern side w/o any exposed steel. 

[Alps]

What about that bridge on the brunckner expressway right where it meets the Sheridan?  The south/west bounds side looks way older than the more modern side w/o any exposed steel. 

Not THAT old, it was built for Bruckner Blvd. 20th century, but it's been years since I learned about it.

[NE2]

What about that bridge on the brunckner expressway right where it meets the Sheridan?  The south/west bounds side looks way older than the more modern side w/o any exposed steel. 

http://www.nycroads.com/roads/bruckner/ says 1930 for westbound over the Bronx River. Strangely the NBI says 1952 for both.
http://maps.nyc.gov/doitt/nycitymap/ has aerials from 1924 and 1951 (click the camera icon at the top of the map); on the latter you can see eastbound under construction. It appears that westbound over the railroad west of the Bronx River was replaced between 1924 and 1951.