Waltz Rd. / Huron River

County:  Wayne

City/Township:  New Boston

Location:  Waltz Rd. / Huron River

Year Built:  1924

About this Bridge:
The Waltz Road Bridge is eligible for the National Registeras an excellent example of 1920s pony truss construction, It is also eligible as a representative product of the Wayne County Road Commission from the 1920s era.

The Waltz Road Bridge was one of 15 bridges constructed by Wayne County during the road commission's 1924-1925 fiscal year. The bridge was built at the same time that the county paved a 3.5-mile section of Waltz Road between Willow Road and New Boston. The road commission's annual report noted that grading and construction of drainage structures on the section were finished in 1924, "as also was the acquisition of 1 mile of new right-of-way necessary to eliminate bad curves and give a proper approach to the new bridge." No detour or temporary vehicular bridge were provided during the construction of the new bridge "because of the prohibitive cost" and "the light volume of traffic involved." A temporary pedestrian bridge, however, was built for the benefit of local school children. A bridge plate, which is no longer extant, identified the builder of the superstructure as the Mt. Vernon Bridge Company of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and credited Swingle & Robinson, contractors from Wyandotte, Michigan, with the substructure. The newly completed span, which cost approximately $67,500, was pictured in the road commission's 1924-1925 annual report. The oblique elevation view, shot from below the level of the deck, highlighted "the massive steel and concrete work." The design was soon tested, when a dam upstream at French Landing failed and caused the river to flood. The structure easily withstood the onslaught. Railings over the abutments were originally concrete balustrades with urn-shaped spindles. Although these railings no longer exist, the bridge otherwise retains very good integrity.