Brightman Street Bridge, Bascule bridge in Somerset, Massachusetts.
Brightman Street Bridge is a bascule bridge that spans the Taunton River, connecting Somerset to Fall River in Massachusetts. The structure has four lanes and features a two-leaf design with a mechanical counterweight system to allow boats to pass underneath.
The Massachusetts state legislature authorized construction in 1903, with the bridge opening in 1908. The structure represented early 20th-century engineering advances in movable bridge design.
The bridge represents early 20th-century engineering methods with its two-leaf bascule design and mechanical counterweight system for water traffic passage.
The bridge has been closed to vehicle traffic since 2011 after a replacement bridge was built upriver. Visitors can view the structure from the riverbanks or photograph it from nearby roads.
When completed in 1908, this bridge was the widest span across the Taunton River, surpassing an earlier crossing built in 1875. This achievement made it a notable milestone in the region's transportation history.
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