Friday, November 24, 2017

US 89 Cameron Bridge


The Cameron suspension bridge over The Little Colorado was built long before US 89 was even a gleam in anyone's eye.  At the time of its 1911 construction, the Cameron bridge was the longest suspension bridge west of The Mississippi River.

According to the historical inventory for this bridge, "Because of their exotic nature and expensive erection costs, suspension bridges were infrequently built in Arizona and the country. The Cameron Bridge is notable as the older of the two vehicular suspension bridges remaining in Arizona, a significant hybrid of suspension and truss engineering. As one of the few bridges remaining from Arizona's territorial period, the Cameron Bridge over the Little Colorado is one of the state's most historically and technologically significant early spans."

Ironically, it wasn't heavy traffic that damaged the bridge.  It was a flock of sheep in 1937.

Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20121013140756/http://www.azdot.gov/highways/EPG/EPG_Common/PDF/Technical/Arizona_Historic_Bridge_Inventory/Long_Inventory_Forms_Coconino_3.pdf

See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameron_Suspension_Bridge



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