Trunk Line Bridge No. 1, Historic road bridge in Michigamme Township, Michigan, US
Trunk Line Bridge No. 1 spans 240 feet (73 meters) across the Peshekee River with six concrete supports carrying a deck near Lake Michigamme. The structure features full-height abutments over solid concrete foundations with specialized bullnosed edges.
The structure was built in 1914 as the first bridge designed by Michigan's State Highway Department. This marked the beginning of standardized infrastructure development in the region.
The bridge displays early engineering techniques with its concrete through-girder design and rectangular recessed panels in the girder walls. Visitors can observe these construction details today when walking across or beneath the structure.
Vehicles can no longer access the bridge from US 41/M-28, but pedestrians can reach it from the eastern side via Van Riper State Park. The path from park facilities is relatively level and well-marked for visitors.
The structure required 600 cubic yards of concrete, a substantial amount for a project of this scale in the early 1910s. This material-intensive construction shows how seriously engineers treated the durability of the state's first standardized bridge project.
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