Benton Street Bridge

Last updated
Benton Street Bridge
3-4 VIEW OF BRIDGE FROM THE WEST BANK OF THE IOWA RIVER, LOOKING NORTHEAST (Harms) - Benton Street Bridge, Spanning Iowa River at Benton Street, Iowa City, Johnson County, IA HAER IOWA,52-IOWCI,4-4 (cropped).tif
Benton Street Bridge in Iowa City crossing from the west bank of the Iowa River, looking northeast
Coordinates 41°39′02″N91°32′20″W / 41.6506°N 91.539°W / 41.6506; -91.539
Crosses Iowa River
LocaleIowa City, Iowa
History
DesignerEdward L. Ashton
Construction end1949
Closed1989 (demolished)
Location
Benton Street Bridge

Benton Street Bridge was a historically important bridge designed by Edward L. Ashton. It crossed the Iowa River in Iowa City. [1] In 1989 it was demolished and replaced with a modern highway bridge. A historical marker nearby describes the old bridge.

Contents

Ned Ashton was a professor of civil engineering at the University of Iowa from 1943 to 1957 and has been called "the most distinguished bridge engineer in the history of Iowa." He designed several bridges over the Mississippi River, and was a pioneer in the design of welded plate girder bridges. [1] [2] [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock Island Centennial Bridge</span> Bridge in Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois

The Rock Island Centennial Bridge, officially the Master Sergeant Stanley W. Talbot Memorial Bridge, connects Rock Island, Illinois, and Davenport, Iowa. The bridge is 3,850 feet (1,173 m) long and stands 170 feet (52 m) above water level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Hawk Bridge</span> Bridge in Wisconsin, River Mile

The Black Hawk Bridge spans the Mississippi River, joining the town of Lansing, in Allamakee County, Iowa, to rural Crawford County, Wisconsin. It is the northernmost Mississippi River bridge in Iowa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Barney Marsh</span>

James Barney Marsh was an American engineer and bridge designer. He patented a new design for arch bridges. Marsh gave Archie Alexander, the first African-American to graduate as an engineer from Iowa State University, his first job. Marsh worked in the bridge building business for over 50 years, and several of his bridges are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lock and Dam No. 19</span> Dam in Illinois / Keokuk, Iowa

Lock and Dam No. 19 is a lock and dam located on the Upper Mississippi River near Keokuk, Iowa. In 1978, the Keokuk Lock and Dam was listed in the National Register of Historic Places, #78001234. In 2004, the facility was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as Lock and Dam No. 19 Historic District, #04000179 covering 1,605 acres (650 ha), 7 buildings, 12 structures, 1 object. The lock is owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The dam is owned and operated by Ameren Missouri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cutler–Donahoe Bridge</span> United States historic place

Cutler–Donahoe Bridge is a 79-foot-long (24 m) covered bridge in Madison County, Iowa. It was built in 1870 by Eli Cox. It originally crossed the North River near Bevington, Iowa. In 1979, the bridge was moved to its location at the entrance to the Winterset City Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holliwell Covered Bridge</span> United States historic place

Holliwell Bridge is a wooden covered bridge in Madison County, Iowa. It was built over the Middle River in 1880 by Benton Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ned Ashton House</span> Historic house in Iowa, United States

The Ned Ashton House in Iowa City, Iowa, also known as the Edward L. Ashton House or as Ashton House, was built in 1947-1948 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Court Avenue Bridge</span> United States historic place

The Court Avenue Bridge is a historic structure located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It became a contributing property in the Civic Center Historic District in 1988, and was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 15, 1998 as a part of the Highway Bridges of Iowa MPS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwest Fifth St. Bridge</span> United States historic place

The Southwest Fifth St. Bridge is a historic structure located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Built in 1898 after a controversy surrounding the bidding process, it is one of the last Pratt through truss bridges left in an urban setting in Iowa. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 as a part of the Highway Bridges of Iowa MPS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jefferson Street Viaduct</span> United States historic place

The Jefferson Street Viaduct is a historic structure located in Ottumwa, Iowa, United States. The riveted Warren deck truss bridge was completed in 1936. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 as a part of the Highway Bridges of Iowa MPS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alden Bridge</span> United States historic place

The Alden Bridge is a historic bridge in Alden, Iowa, which carries the town's Main Street over the Iowa River, United States. The concrete bridge is 150 feet (46 m) long and consists of two spans. It was built in 1936 to replace an earlier wooden bridge that had begun to deteriorate. The Weldon Brothers Construction Company supervised the bridge's construction, while the Iowa State Highway Commission designed the structure; it was one of the first bridges designed by the ISHC, which used similar plans for many other bridges in the state. Labor for the construction effort came from the Works Progress Administration, providing jobs for many of Hardin County's unemployed residents. The bridge was dedicated on July 4, 1936, as part of Alden's Independence Day celebrations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cascade Bridge</span> United States historic place

The Cascade Bridge is a historic structure located in Burlington, Iowa, United States. In April 1896 the Burlington City Council approved a proposal to have city engineer S.D. Eaton advertise for plans and estimates for a bridge on Main Street that would span Cascade Ravine. The Cascade Lumber Company had petitioned for the bridge. The city contracted with the Cedar Rapids, Iowa firm of Boynton & Warriner to design the structure and the Milwaukee Bridge and Iron Works to erect the span. The city was responsible for building the concrete substructure. The bridge was completed in the fall of 1896, and is composed of four spans. The span length is 160 feet (49 m), and its total length is 464 feet (141 m). The span is a Baltimore deck truss bridge with Pratt deck trusses at both ends. The structure is supported by stone and concrete abutments with concrete pedestals and a single concrete-filled steel cylinder pier. Over the years the original deck has been replaced, and concrete has been applied to the stone abutments. Otherwise the structure has been unaltered. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wapsipinicon River Bridge</span> United States historic place

The Wapsipinicon River Bridge is a historic structure located in Independence, Iowa, United States. It spans the Wapsipinicon River for 341 feet (104 m). The Buchanan County Board of Supervisors contracted with the Miller-Taylor Construction Company from Waterloo, Iowa, to build the new bridge on the south side of Independence for $37,680. However, high water created problems during construction, and the bridge was completed in January 1927 for $57,530. It replaced an earlier two-span iron truss bridge. This bridge is a concrete filled spandrel arch bridge with four spans. It was designed by the Iowa State Highway Commission, and continues to carry vehicle traffic. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. There is a similar bridge upstream in Independence that was built in 1918.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nishnabotna River Bridge (310th Street)</span> United States historic place

The Nishnabotna River Bridge is located southwest of Manilla, Iowa, United States. It carries traffic on 310th Street over the Nishnabotna River. Steel was in short supply during World War II as a part of the war effort. Many bridges built across the state were built in this era with timber, especially small-scale bridges. Heavy flooding washed out 27 bridges and culverts in Crawford County in May 1945. The county board of supervisors used emergency funds to build new bridges. They bought several steel superstructures from the Des Moines Steel Company to replace the wash-out spans. The bowstring arch-truss structures appear to have been designed by H. Gene McKeown, a civil engineer from Council Bluffs. This bridge is one several similar structures built in the county, and one of five that still remain. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marsh Rainbow Arch Bridge (Lake City, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

The Marsh Rainbow Arch Bridge, also known as the Coon River Bridge and Rainbow Bend Access, is located south of Lake City, Iowa, United States. The 271-foot (83 m) three-span bridge carried traffic on Iberia Avenue over the North Raccoon River. It was designed by Des Moines engineer James Barney Marsh in his patented rainbow arch configuration, and constructed by the Iowa Bridge Company in 1914 for $10,970. It replaced a Howe truss bridge that had been built by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland. That bridge was put in service upstream and remained in use until 1983 when it was taken down. The Marsh arch bridge was bypassed in 1985, and remains in place in a county park. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eveland Bridge</span> United States historic place

Eveland Bridge is located southwest of Oskaloosa, Iowa, United States. It carried traffic of Fulton Avenue over the Des Moines River, spanning 647 feet (197 m). After receiving multiple petitions, the Mahaska County Board of Supervisors decided in April 1875 to build a bridge, replacing a ferry service that operated at this point along the river beginning in 1854. They contracted with the Fort Wayne Bridge Works of Fort Wayne, Indiana, to build the new bridge for $25,200. It was designed by C. W. Tracy, a civil engineer. The Whipple through truss span was completed in the summer of 1877. This style was rarely chosen for wagon trusses in Iowa, which means few were built and fewer remain standing. Its deck has subsequently deteriorated and the bridge has been closed to traffic. The Eveland Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Bridge (Postville, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

Red Bridge is a historic structure located northeast of Postville, Iowa, United States. It spans the Yellow River for 128 feet (39 m). The Allamakee County Engineer designed the timber Pratt through truss structure, and it was erected by a local contractor named A. L. Powell in 1920. Built for $2,304.74, it is composed of timber compression members and forged iron tension members. The structural steel was provided by the Worden-Allen Company of Milwaukee, and City Lumber provided the timbers. At some point it was abandoned and the timber deck and stringers were removed. It is the last uncovered timber truss bridge remaining in Iowa. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elkader Keystone Bridge</span> United States historic place

The Elkader Keystone Bridge is a historic structure located in Elkader, Iowa, United States. The old iron truss bridge that crossed the Turkey River at this location was declared unsafe in 1888. The Clayton County Board of Supervisors decided to construct a bridge of native limestone as way of saving money and providing a reliable crossing. Engineer M. Tschirgi designed the structure and Dubuque stonemasons Byrne and Blade constructed the bridge. It was built at a cost of $16,282, and spans the river for 346 feet (105 m). This is one of the largest twin arched keystone bridges west of the Mississippi River. A sidewalk was added on the north side of the structure in 1924. The bridge was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mill Race Bridge</span> United States historic place

Mill Race Bridge is a historic structure located northwest of Eldorado, Iowa, United States. It spans the Turkey River for 120 feet (37 m). Its name is derived from its location near a riverside mill. Horace E. Horton, a civil engineer from Minneapolis, had designed wagon bridges for Fayette County in the 1880s. When he joined the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company late in the decade, he took the county with him as a client. Chicago Bridge & Iron was responsible for providing the county's bridges in the 1890s. This bridge was completed about 1892, but its concrete abutments are not original. While it remains in place, but it has been replaced by a newer span. The Mill Race Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winnebago River Bridge</span> United States historic place

The Winnebago River Bridge was a historic structure located north of Mason City, Iowa, United States. The span carried U.S. Route 65 over the Winnebago River for 122 feet (37 m). This is the second span at this location. The stone abutments from the previous bridge were utilized in this one. They were sheathed in concrete by the Concrete Engineering Company, and William Henkel of Mason City constructed the bridge. It is composed of three concrete spans with a 70 feet (21 m) center span cantilevered from shorter anchor spans. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. A second span has subsequently been built to the east in 1969.

References

  1. 1 2 Hess, Jeffrey A.; Hybben, Robert (October 1989). "Benton Street Bridge" (PDF). Historic American Engineering Record . Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  2. "Edward L. Ashton". Archived from the original on 2011-01-02. In 2007, Aston was inducted into the University of Iowa "Legacy of Engineering". Archived from the original on 2011-07-21.
  3. Kallee, Stephan. "Benton Street Bridge in Iowa: The First All-welded Steel Bridge in Iowa, and One of the First in the USA" . Retrieved January 9, 2021.