Sturgeon Bay Bridge, Historic bascule bridge in Sturgeon Bay, United States.
The Sturgeon Bay Bridge is a double-leaf rolling bascule bridge that crosses the shipping channel in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The roadway sits on Warren and Parker through-trusses, which form the visible steel framework on both sides of the crossing.
The bridge was completed in 1931 by the Chicago engineering firm Keller & Harrington, replacing earlier crossings that required a toll. It was later added to the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its place in early 20th-century engineering history.
The bridge is part of daily life in Sturgeon Bay, used by locals to cross between the two sides of the city. When a boat needs to pass, traffic stops and the two halves of the roadway tilt upward, which draws the attention of anyone nearby.
Both pedestrians and cyclists can cross the bridge, though caution is needed when the lift mechanism is active and traffic is stopped. Drivers with tall vehicles should check the clearance markers at the center and sides before proceeding.
This is the only operating Scherzer-type double-leaf rolling lift bridge with overhead trusses in the state of Wisconsin. This type of bridge was once found in more places across the country but is rarely built today, making this one a surviving example of the design.
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