Aqueduct Bridge, Navigable aqueduct in Washington, D.C., US.
The Aqueduct Bridge is a two-level crossing over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., designed to carry both boat traffic through a water-filled trough on its lower section and road vehicles on top. The trough runs the full length of the bridge, keeping water at a steady level so boats can pass from one side to the other without locks.
The bridge opened in 1843 as part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal system, which was built to connect Washington, D.C., with inland regions for trade. When canal traffic declined in the late 1800s, the water trough was converted into a road surface, changing the structure's main purpose entirely.
The bridge sits on the boundary between Washington, D.C., and Virginia, marking one of the oldest crossing points over the Potomac River still in use today. Many locals pass over it daily without realizing they are traveling above a water channel built in the 1800s.
The bridge is open to foot traffic and can be reached from both the Washington, D.C., side and the Virginia side. Walking across during the day gives the clearest view of the two-level layout and how the water channel sits below the road surface.
During the Civil War, the bridge's water troughs were drained and used as storage space by Union Army troops. For a few years, a structure built to carry boats was turned into a supply depot sitting directly above the Potomac River.
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