Powers Hwy. / Battle Creek

County: Eaton

City/Township: Brookfield Twp.

Location: Powers Hwy. / Battle Creek

Year Built: 1910

About this Bridge:
The Powers Highway Bridge is eligible for the National Register because of its unusual lattice truss design, perhaps the only example of this type in Michigan.

Pony trusses typically displayed Pratt or Warren designs. A lattice pony truss was cheaper to build, because of the smaller members in the webs, but was not as strong as the Pratt or Warren. The 1910 date provided by the Michigan Department of Transportation database seems plausible, given the design. No archival records could be found related to the structure's history. It was probably built by the township, which would have been looking for the most economical design.