1925 Italian Bar Bridge

[Max Rockatansky]

Figured I'd get this out there now since the replacement span project begins on the 17th.  I posted this on Gribblenation earlier today after I visited the 1925 Italian Bar Bridge:

"I visited the doomed 1925 Italian Bar Bridge this morning. The 1925 Italian Bar Bridge is located on Italian Bar Road/Road 225 east of North Fork in Madera County, California on the San Joaquin River. The 1925 Italian Bar Bridge is a Warren Pony Truss design which features a 242.1 foot length, a 11.2 wide wooden road deck and a hell of a cool view from the bottom of the San Joaquin River Gorge. The 1925 Italian Bar Road Bridge was renovated in 1951 (probably for the Redinger Lake project) and is slated to be replaced by a boring 22 foot wide modern span. The replacement project for the 1925 Italian Bar Bridge begins on the 17th and will result in the removal of the current structure. If you like single lane mountain roads (Italian Bar Road also features the geographic center of California) and older bridges this weekend is probably the last real opportunity to see Italian Bar Road along with the 1925 Italian Bar Bridge unabated by construction closures."

And below is the 1925 Italian Bar Bridge:

IMG_0105 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_0113 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_0115 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_0116 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_0120 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_0121 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_0123 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_0128 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_0132 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Below is the  public announcement Sierra National Forest put out about the replacement bridge project and the closures on Italian Bar Road:

"Fresno & Madera Counties to begin the Italian Bar Bridge replacement project, on Italian Bar Road September 17, 2019

Clovis, Calif., September 06, 2019 — The Sierra National Forest would like to inform the forest communities and visitors to the forest, American Paving Co. (Contracted by Fresno & Madera Counties) will begin the Italian Bar Bridge replacement project in the very near future. Road closures will start on 9/17/19, with rock blasting starting around 9/30/19.

Signs will be posted along various roads, the San Joaquin River Trail where it intersects with Italian Bar Road, and at the Redinger Boat Launch.

The signs will inform visitors and residents of construction and road closures. The signs will state the following: "This Road (or Trail, or Boat Launch) will be Closed Intermittently Start Sept 2019 thru Feb 2021 Mon.-Sat. 7 am—5:30 pm."
The existing bridge will remain in place until the new bridge has been completed, then it will be removed. The new bridge will be located just west, or downstream, of the existing one."

[Max Rockatansky]

Following up with the Wednesday post regarding the 1925 Italian Bar Bridge I went more into the history of the structure and Italian Bar Road on the blog below.  Italian Bar Road (Road 225) along with it's name sake bridge both have origins back to the second phase of the Big Creek Hydroelectric Project.  It seems that the 1925 Italian Bar Bridge was constructed to increase access to Big Creek Powerhouse #3 and #4 which lies on the opposite side of the San Joaquin River.  It would appear that the 1925 Italian Bar Bridge was raised in 1951 when Redinger Lake was formed but the structure remains largely a relic of when wooden deck truss bridges were common.  The 1925 Italian Bar Bridge is completely worthwhile for those who enjoy scenic bridges or just want a unique scenic back country drive to the bottom of the San Joaquin River Gorge. 

https://www.gribblenation.org/2019/09/italian-bar-road-road-225-east-through.html