AARoads Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Thanks to everyone for the feedback on what errors you encountered at https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=33904.0
Corrected several already and appreciate your patience as we work through the rest.

Author Topic: Old vs new bridges  (Read 31514 times)

tolbs17

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 0
  • Age: 21
  • Location: Greenville, NC
  • Last Login: March 31, 2022, 07:24:24 PM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #50 on: April 21, 2021, 04:10:32 PM »

^^ Looks like a vehicle hit that.  The guardrail is a temporary fix until they replace the railing in that area.
The bridge will probably be replaced totally. It's the original 1950s 60s design.
Logged

dlsterner

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 1188
  • Age: 65
  • Location: Maryland
  • Last Login: Today at 12:09:31 AM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #51 on: April 22, 2021, 12:27:07 AM »

^^ Looks like a vehicle hit that.  The guardrail is a temporary fix until they replace the railing in that area.
The bridge will probably be replaced totally. It's the original 1950s 60s design.
If the bridge is otherwise sound, I doubt that there will be any hurry to replace the entire bridge when it is easy enough to replace the lost piece of railing.  Or they may even leave the piece if guardrail in there indefinitely.

index

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 1336
  • Chief Sisyphean Affairs Officer

  • Age: 21
  • Location: Vilas, North Carolina
  • Last Login: March 14, 2024, 06:42:34 PM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #52 on: April 22, 2021, 04:27:32 AM »


This style was prevalent in the 1950s/early 60s for bridges wider than 2 lanes - https://goo.gl/maps/aDshucV6LDpduxY6A


That ornate style along with a few other similar variants seems to have been the dominant style for a pretty long time in the 20th century for anything that wasn't a truss bridge, from around the 1900s-1950s I've noticed. The US 74/29 bridge over the Catawba River has that style of guardrail, built in 1933, as well as the Bearskin Creek bridge in Monroe on what used to be US 74 before the mid-50s. That one was built in 1922. US 17's Ashley River Bridge in Charleston (1926) also has that design.

My favorite execution of the ornate type guardrails are the ones on the Old Victory Bridge over the Apalachicola River, also built in 1922. The Old Trout River Bridge (1930) in Duval County, FL also has a similar design I like. I think there was another bridge in Jacksonville that had a similar style, and when it was replaced they kept the design in the new construction.
Logged
I love my 2010 Ford Explorer.



Counties traveled

tolbs17

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 0
  • Age: 21
  • Location: Greenville, NC
  • Last Login: March 31, 2022, 07:24:24 PM
Logged

Big John

  • *
  • Online Online

  • Posts: 4535
  • Age: 56
  • Last Login: Today at 02:23:52 AM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #54 on: April 23, 2021, 09:19:57 PM »

^^ The 2012 shot was built of that era, the 2019 shot shows the new bridge with modern design standards.
Logged

tolbs17

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 0
  • Age: 21
  • Location: Greenville, NC
  • Last Login: March 31, 2022, 07:24:24 PM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #55 on: May 09, 2021, 12:03:09 AM »

^^ The 2012 shot was built of that era, the 2019 shot shows the new bridge with modern design standards.
And it's in an odd area for them to keep the original design I'm sure.

Can they build a new bridge and keep the 1950 and 60s design or not I think?
Logged

Big John

  • *
  • Online Online

  • Posts: 4535
  • Age: 56
  • Last Login: Today at 02:23:52 AM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #56 on: May 09, 2021, 12:12:43 AM »

^^ The 2012 shot was built of that era, the 2019 shot shows the new bridge with modern design standards.
And it's in an odd area for them to keep the original design I'm sure.

Can they build a new bridge and keep the 1950 and 60s design or not I think?
The decorative railings do not meet modern crash standards.  If an aesthetic look was requested, they could have used a Texas railing:
Logged

tolbs17

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 0
  • Age: 21
  • Location: Greenville, NC
  • Last Login: March 31, 2022, 07:24:24 PM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #57 on: May 09, 2021, 12:15:18 AM »

^^ The 2012 shot was built of that era, the 2019 shot shows the new bridge with modern design standards.
And it's in an odd area for them to keep the original design I'm sure.

Can they build a new bridge and keep the 1950 and 60s design or not I think?
The decorative railings do not meet modern crash standards.  If an aesthetic look was requested, they could have used a Texas railing:

double railings are the normal kind right now.
Logged

Rothman

  • *
  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 15108
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 11:52:13 PM
Logged
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

dlsterner

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 1188
  • Age: 65
  • Location: Maryland
  • Last Login: Today at 12:09:31 AM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #60 on: May 10, 2021, 11:45:21 PM »

Mapmikey

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 4353
  • Co-curator with Froggie of www.vahighways.com

  • Age: 54
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 08:31:54 PM
    • Co-curator Virginia Highways Project
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #61 on: May 11, 2021, 07:14:58 AM »

Oh, what happened here?

Did a car hit that area? Did the bridge collapse by itself?

It needs replacing.

Here's your answer - https://www.lakegastongazette-observer.com/news/article_2b45916c-2af8-11e5-b25a-37bb01c46f50.html

I note the concrete surface in the opposite lane is pretty worn out, too, in the 2016 GMSV

Quote
as well as the Bearskin Creek bridge in Monroe on what used to be US 74 before the mid-50s. That one was built in 1922

That railing was not there in 1922 - was made that way when the bridge was widened in 1939
« Last Edit: May 11, 2021, 07:22:11 AM by Mapmikey »
Logged

tolbs17

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 0
  • Age: 21
  • Location: Greenville, NC
  • Last Login: March 31, 2022, 07:24:24 PM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #62 on: May 24, 2021, 02:39:01 PM »

This my guess for the bridges in North Carolina.

1950s

1960s

1970s steel barriers

1970s brown barriers

1980s (present-day)

1990s steel barriers (1)

1990s steel barriers (2)

1990s normal barriers (the southbound bridge)

2000s

2010s I miss those red things on the bottom. compared to this which doesn't have them.

2010s This one uses the steel barriers. On a freeway. Interesting.


I have to say, I enjoy the ones with the steel barriers more. They look nicer and not so dull looking. But I'm sure it's a little more costly to build though.
The ones that are built right now compared to the ones from the 80s and 2000s, the bridge structures are a little bit taller.
Logged

tolbs17

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 0
  • Age: 21
  • Location: Greenville, NC
  • Last Login: March 31, 2022, 07:24:24 PM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #63 on: May 25, 2021, 07:05:30 PM »

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4262233,-78.0178448,3a,38.4y,254.87h,89.25t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-5JjsNEd1j5hVJcHsf1exg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

This bottom structure looks different compared to all of the other bridges. Wonder why that is...

Compared to this...

Or even this...

Hell... even this looks cheap and funny looking....

How are the steel and the concrete beams chosen and why?
« Last Edit: May 25, 2021, 09:46:09 PM by tolbs17 »
Logged

roadman65

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 15887
  • Location: Lakeland, Florida
  • Last Login: Today at 01:45:43 AM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #64 on: May 26, 2021, 01:03:23 AM »

Look under the Garden State Parkway where it's a dual configuration between the Raritan and Asbury Park Toll Plazas. They built the later express lanes with concrete beams as supposed to making it match the original local lanes. Heck on US 9 in Sayreville the Parkway Express lanes have no side piers. The bridges span from top of slant wall to median pier in center of Route 9.  The original Parkway Bridges have a pier on both sides of US 9 and in the median of it.

No aesthetic consideration.  Even the former NJ 138 overpass had two designs instead of making the later bridge look like the older one which was a concrete arch bridge similar to Route 36 over the NB local lanes in Tintin Falls.
Logged
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

tolbs17

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 0
  • Age: 21
  • Location: Greenville, NC
  • Last Login: March 31, 2022, 07:24:24 PM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #65 on: June 17, 2021, 10:52:12 PM »

Logged

roadman65

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 15887
  • Location: Lakeland, Florida
  • Last Login: Today at 01:45:43 AM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #66 on: July 14, 2021, 11:24:21 AM »

The bridge on I-80 in Vallejo, CA is noticeable as the 2003 Westbound span is a cable suspended bridge while the EB bridge built in 1958 is cantilever.
Logged
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

tolbs17

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 0
  • Age: 21
  • Location: Greenville, NC
  • Last Login: March 31, 2022, 07:24:24 PM
Logged

tolbs17

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 0
  • Age: 21
  • Location: Greenville, NC
  • Last Login: March 31, 2022, 07:24:24 PM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #68 on: July 23, 2021, 08:16:59 PM »

These bridges do not match.
Logged

Mapmikey

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 4353
  • Co-curator with Froggie of www.vahighways.com

  • Age: 54
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 08:31:54 PM
    • Co-curator Virginia Highways Project
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #69 on: July 23, 2021, 11:09:47 PM »

These bridges do not match.

They were built almost 15 years apart...why do they need to match?
Logged

Big John

  • *
  • Online Online

  • Posts: 4535
  • Age: 56
  • Last Login: Today at 02:23:52 AM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #70 on: July 23, 2021, 11:23:44 PM »

Juxtaposition of a new and old side-by-side bridges.  Photo by John Weeks
Logged

tolbs17

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 0
  • Age: 21
  • Location: Greenville, NC
  • Last Login: March 31, 2022, 07:24:24 PM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #71 on: July 23, 2021, 11:29:09 PM »

These bridges do not match.

They were built almost 15 years apart...why do they need to match?
Talking about how the way they were built. They probably didn't even think they were going to extend the highway. The left barrier is taller compared to the right barrier.
Logged

Mapmikey

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 4353
  • Co-curator with Froggie of www.vahighways.com

  • Age: 54
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 08:31:54 PM
    • Co-curator Virginia Highways Project
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #72 on: July 24, 2021, 09:12:58 AM »

These bridges do not match.

They were built almost 15 years apart...why do they need to match?
Talking about how the way they were built. They probably didn't even think they were going to extend the highway. The left barrier is taller compared to the right barrier.

For someone who notices small differences in stuff (which you should come out and say in the initial post instead of us guessing), you miss the bigger pictures.

Yes, it is true the left barrier is taller than the right one.  If you check out older streetviews, you will notice the bridge has been widened and I believe they wanted the left barrier to be the same height as the new bridge's left barrier.  This actually supports your theory that they weren't 100% sure the road would get extended (though they definitely knew they wanted to, as it was signed as Future I-840 by 2002).

A much bigger difference in the two bridges can be seen from a different viewpoint - https://goo.gl/maps/cXaPpRpzSPtRjBbu7

Logged

tolbs17

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 0
  • Age: 21
  • Location: Greenville, NC
  • Last Login: March 31, 2022, 07:24:24 PM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #73 on: July 24, 2021, 07:19:58 PM »

These bridges do not match.

They were built almost 15 years apart...why do they need to match?
Talking about how the way they were built. They probably didn't even think they were going to extend the highway. The left barrier is taller compared to the right barrier.

For someone who notices small differences in stuff (which you should come out and say in the initial post instead of us guessing), you miss the bigger pictures.

Yes, it is true the left barrier is taller than the right one.  If you check out older streetviews, you will notice the bridge has been widened and I believe they wanted the left barrier to be the same height as the new bridge's left barrier.  This actually supports your theory that they weren't 100% sure the road would get extended (though they definitely knew they wanted to, as it was signed as Future I-840 by 2002).

A much bigger difference in the two bridges can be seen from a different viewpoint - https://goo.gl/maps/cXaPpRpzSPtRjBbu7
I say it should have been built as a T intersection until an extension was put there or just make a wide bridge. Then it would look more handy. But it looks awkward.
Logged

kphoger

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 29128
  • My 2 Achilles' heels: sarcasm & snark

  • Location: Wichita, KS
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 09:31:10 PM
Re: Old vs new bridges
« Reply #74 on: July 25, 2021, 05:10:46 PM »

But it looks awkward.

well we don't want that
Logged
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. Dick
If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

 


Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.