Dating a Bridge

[Georgia Guardrail]

Here in Georgia, sometimes the bridge rails will have the year the bridge was built engraved in the concrete.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.9653001,-84.2647152,3a,75y,326.04h,73.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sSGOx1YmSdj-rCF2L0NWLkw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

I've been using the satellite archives to date bridges from historical aerials.  But I like to guess their build date when I first see them without looking.

It seems that bridges that have the greenish tints on their girders were built in the late 70s/early 80s
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7644197,-84.4930203,3a,75y,18.47h,96.54t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sSpYtniw7gn_lUiwGTh6vmg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DSpYtniw7gn_lUiwGTh6vmg%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D318.40076%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

Bridges that have piped railing are usually (not always) early 1970s and earlier. 

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5572336,-84.592127,3a,75y,28.92h,93.7t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sNpTHfnldjncBVSw7k8JwZA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DNpTHfnldjncBVSw7k8JwZA%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D88.16121%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

What are some giveaway characteristics that you can spot on a bridge and tell automatically when it was built?

[wriddle082]

South Carolina has also done this consistently with their bridge parapets since at least the 1930's, and I've noticed this a few times in Alabama as well but it's not consistent.  If you travel the circa mid-80's constructed section of I-65 north of Birmingham, specifically around Kimberly and Morris, the bridge parapets will have one year on the right side (either 1986 or 1987) and a different year on the left side when it was widened to six lanes (can't remember if it was late 90's or early 00's).

[jlam]

Dating a Bridge

Compliments and flowers are always nice.

If we're talking about the year the bridge was built written somewhere, Timnath has one.

[1995hoo]

Is it a bridge with benefits? 

[Max Rockatansky]

Have you tried Bridges Only?

[lepidopteran]

Last time I dated a bridge, I walked out on her.

[SectorZ]

I dated a bridge named Galloping Gertie once, but God that was such a wild ride I had to bail on her.

[Mapmikey]

I had a fling with this bridge in my younger SC days but had to break it off...she was a bit of a swinger and opened herself up to far more people than me and it was causing truss issues.

[jeffandnicole]

Check out the size of these DDs. 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/9Yg1BfngNFUPVzyg6 
https://maps.app.goo.gl/DBKVBcFC5w427iUS7
https://maps.app.goo.gl/mqrTfYMvKzqQesmp6

I could ride them All. Day. Long.

[Hunty2022]

I went out to dinner with the VA-230 Conway River Bridge. She was quite scenic. My next date with her should go better.

[Georgia Guardrail]

I tried to date a bridge.  She wasn't confrontational because she literally took the high road over everything in her way.

[Big John]

I tried to, but she had truss issues.

[formulanone]

Once you get over the pier pressure, asking a bridge on a date is easy.

[Big John]

Once you get over the pier pressure, asking a bridge on a date is easy.

I was told to get bent.

[Max Rockatansky]

Once you get over the pier pressure, asking a bridge on a date is easy.

I was told to get bent.

I was told that I needed to be less rigid if I wanted things to last.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Once you get over the pier pressure, asking a bridge on a date is easy.

I was told to get bent.

And I was told to pay a toll... 

[Max Rockatansky]

Once you get over the pier pressure, asking a bridge on a date is easy.

I was told to get bent.

And I was told to pay a toll... 

When I'm out of town sometimes I pay for a bridge.  My wife would probably be angry if she ever found out.

[Big John]

Once you get over the pier pressure, asking a bridge on a date is easy.

I was told to get bent.

And I was told to pay a toll... 

When I'm out of town sometimes I pay for a bridge.  My wife would probably be angry if she ever found out.

Would she give you a suspension?

[Max Rockatansky]

Once you get over the pier pressure, asking a bridge on a date is easy.

I was told to get bent.

And I was told to pay a toll... 

When I'm out of town sometimes I pay for a bridge.  My wife would probably be angry if she ever found out.

Would she give you a suspension?

Probably worse, she certainly isn't a swing span.

[formulanone]

Once you get over the pier pressure, asking a bridge on a date is easy.

I was told to get bent.

And I was told to pay a toll... 

When I'm out of town sometimes I pay for a bridge.  My wife would probably be angry if she ever found out.

Would she give you a suspension?

Probably worse, she certainly isn't a swing span.

When my lovely bridge found out I'd paid a toll elsewhere, she became cross and decked me.

[jeffandnicole]

Once you get over the pier pressure, asking a bridge on a date is easy.

I was told to get bent.

And I was told to pay a toll... 

When I'm out of town sometimes I pay for a bridge.  My wife would probably be angry if she ever found out.

Would she give you a suspension?

Probably worse, she certainly isn't a swing span.

When my lovely bridge found out I'd paid a toll elsewhere, she became cross and decked me.

Would she be willing to have a three span?

[signalman]

Once you get over the pier pressure, asking a bridge on a date is easy.

I was told to get bent.

And I was told to pay a toll... 

When I'm out of town sometimes I pay for a bridge.  My wife would probably be angry if she ever found out.

Would she give you a suspension?

Probably worse, she certainly isn't a swing span.

When my lovely bridge found out I'd paid a toll elsewhere, she became cross and decked me.

Would she be willing to have a three span?

Nope, cantilever.

[kphoger]

I prefer camelback but, for the sake of my wooden kingpost, its application is limited to short spans.

[formulanone]

I prefer camelback but, for the sake of my wooden kingpost, its application is limited to short spans.

Nobody wants to hear about your cocker spandrel.

[Big John]

Don't talk about your unit.