Pier Bridge, Historic covered footbridge in Sullivan County, US
Pier Bridge is a covered railroad bridge about 0.5 miles east of the former Chandler station in western Newport, New Hampshire, crossing the Sugar River at an angle on a roughly east–west line. Its two Town-Pratt lattice trusses rest on granite abutments capped with concrete and a central pier of similar construction. The western span measures 106 feet and the eastern span 121 feet, with trusses joined by wooden pegging, iron rods and iron turnbuckles, and vertical board siding set about 2 feet below the roof.
Built in 1907 for the Boston and Maine Railroad, the bridge supported rail traffic across the region. The line ceased operations in 1977 when service ended in Newport.
The bridge represents early 20th-century engineering methods, combining Town-style lattice trusses with Pratt trusses joined by wooden pegging and iron rods.
The structure is now part of the Sugar River Trail and allows visitors to cross the river while walking. The path follows the former railroad corridor and offers an easy route for exploring the area.
The Pier Bridge is one of only two surviving railroad bridges on its line; the other is Wright's Bridge. Its name comes from the central granite pier that splits the crossing into a 106-foot western span and a 121-foot eastern span.
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