The Central Bridge carried US Route 27 over the Ohio River between Newport, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio. It was replaced by the Taylor-Southgate Bridge in 1995.
History
Newport Ferry Company
During the 1830s to the 1850s, Newport, Kentucky, engaged in legal battles against the Taylor family’s exclusive control of the ferry service across the Ohio River to Cincinnati, Ohio. 4 In each of these cases, the courts consistently ruled in favor of the Taylors. In 1866, Captain John A. Williamson joined William N. Air to form Air & Williamson to lease the Newport Ferry. 3
In September 1868, efforts to construct a bridge connecting the two cities received a significant boost. 4 Opponents of the Taylor family’s ferry monopoly intensified their lobbying against proposed fare increases. The ferry operators had planned to suspend their discounted commuter program starting from October 1. This program allowed a man and his entire family, including servants, to cross the ferry on foot for $8 per year. For single individuals, the cost was $6 per year. However, the ferry company announced a new plan: selling commutation tickets in packages of 100 for $1.25 per packet.
Citizens organized mass meetings to protest against the proposed fare hikes. 4 A citizens’ committee even met with Captain John Williamson from Air & Williamson, the lessees of the ferry from the Taylor family. However, Williamson justified the new rates by stating that the company had incurred losses of $4,000 over the previous six months.
In response, the citizens’ committee pursued an alternative strategy and successfully negotiated a new commuter arrangement with the Covington & Newport Bridge Company, which operated a bridge over the Licking River between Newport and Covington. 4 They also engaged with the Covington & Cincinnati Bridge Company, which operated a suspension bridge over the Ohio River between Covington and Cincinnati. Starting from September 30, Newport commuters were able to cross both the Licking and Ohio rivers for just one cent and a quarter per trip by purchasing tickets in packages of one hundred. Nevertheless, the ferry company proceeded with its planned fare increase for the Newport Ferry.
Despite protests from Newport citizens regarding the ferry monopoly, private entities collaborated to persuade the railroad to extend its route across the Ohio River into Cincinnati via Newport. 4 In February 1868, the Newport & Cincinnati Bridge Company was established with the purpose of constructing a bridge between Newport and Cincinnati, accommodating railroad tracks, pedestrians, and various types of vehicles.
Undeterred, the Newport city council persisted in its efforts to attract the Louisville, Cincinnati & Lexington Railroad (LC&L) to Newport. 4 On May 12, 1868, the council passed two ordinances. The first ordinance granted the railroad a right-of-way along city streets, while the second ordinance allocated a portion of a street for the bridge approach. Construction of the Newport & Cincinnati Railroad Bridge commenced in August 1869 and was completed in April 1872.
Central Bridge
William N. Air and Captain John Williamson, partners at Air & Williamson, recognized the gradual decline of the ferry business due to the construction of bridges across the Ohio River. 3 Instead of resting on their achievements as the lessees of the Newport Ferry Company, they took proactive measures. Air actively participated on the board of directors of the Newport & Cincinnati Railroad Bridge Company, while Williamson became the owner of the Newport Street Railway.
Williamson played a crucial role in securing the financing for the Central Bridge, 3 a project that was delayed for years for fear of insufficient revenue. 7 The development of the electric street railway and the necessity for rapid transit between Cincinnati and Newport led to the formation of the Central Railway & Bridge Company for the purpose of constructing the bridge.
The initial surveys for the construction of the Central Bridge were carried out by engineers L. F. G. Bouscaren, A. H. Porter, and F. C. Osborn from the King Bridge Company in 1897. 1 7 They oversaw the final design preparations for the crossing, which the War Department approved in April 1888. 7
The bridge’s progress remained unchanged until March 1890, when V. Morris, the Southwestern Agent of the King Bridge Company, worked persistently to secure the necessary arrangements for its construction. 7 The company was given the task of building the bridge by January 1, 1891, according to specifications to be provided by Ferris, Kaufman & Company, who were designated as the chief engineers of the Central Railway & Bridge Company. The formal contract was ultimately signed on March 31, 1890.
In April, the King Bridge Company awarded subcontracting contracts for different aspects of the project in Berea, Ohio. 7 The substructure and paving of the approaches were entrusted to J. Le Duke. The contract for the iron and steel materials was given to Messrs. Carnegie, Phipps & Company, while Messrs. Baird Brothers of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, were awarded the contract for erecting the superstructure and laying the floor.
In September 1890, it became evident that the substructure work in Cincinnati would not be finished on schedule due to delays in acquiring the necessary right-of-way. 7 However, construction of the viaduct on the Newport side started in early October and was successfully completed by the 25th. By October 30th, the girders across Front Street were installed. On November 12th, the process of raising the iron span between piers 8 and 9 began, and it was fully riveted by the 24th, with the stringers and floor beams in place. By December 9th, the span between piers 7 and 8 was finished. In May 1891, the work to erect the cantilevered truss outward from Newport commenced and was completed on June 18th.
The viaduct in Cincinnati was completed by January 15th, and by March 11th, the span between piers 3 and 4 was also finished. 7 On July 14th, the work to erect the cantilevered truss outward from Cincinnati began, and on July 22nd, the two arms of the cantilevered truss were coupled together. The cantilevered construction method progressed rapidly, eliminating the need for expensive and time-consuming erection of falsework. The superstructure was simply balanced on the two end piers and extended outward from each side until they met in the middle.
On August 29, 1891, the Central Bridge opened. 7 15 It was the only cantilevered truss of its kind in the United States 5 and one of the longest bridges constructed by the King Bridge Company. 1 It featured a three-span cantilever Warren through truss, two Pennsylvania-Petit through trusses, a Pratt through truss, and viaducts. The bridge was designed to accommodate a roadway, two streetcar tracks, and two sidewalks. The total construction cost amounted to $1.6 million. 5
The new Central Bridge was considered superior to the L&N Railroad Bridge (formerly the Newport & Cincinnati Railroad Bridge) as the L&N Railroad Bridge had narrow roadways and sidewalks, too far from downtown, and train traffic that interrupted highway traffic. 7 Despite that, Cincinnati’s approach was nicknamed the “death curve” for its number of fatal accidents. 10
In November 1947, the state of Kentucky purchased the Central Bridge for $1 million. 15 The bridge was freed of tolls in November 1953 after the construction bonds and acquisition costs were fully paid off.
In the mid-1970s, the northern S-curve approach to the bridge was straightened to allow for the construction of the Riverfront Coliseum. 6
Taylor-Southgate Bridge
The Central Bridge had begun to show signs of aging by 1970, mainly due to structural deterioration and rust. 12 Researchers from the Division of Bridges within the Kentucky Highway Department conducted a study on rusted steel eye bars to assess the extent of this decline. In 1979, the weight limit for crossing the bridge was reduced to three tons. 9 By 1988, the bridge’s sufficiency rating had dropped to 8.5 out of 100, making it the lowest-rated bridge among those connecting Cincinnati and northern Kentucky. 13 Since its sufficiency rating fell below 50, the bridge became eligible for federal funding from the Federal Highway Administration. This funding could be utilized to either rehabilitate or replace the structure.
In 1985, the Kentucky Highway Department decided to replace the Central Bridge because of its worsened condition. 14
In 1987, Greiner Engineering from Lexington, Kentucky, developed several alternatives for replacing the bridge connecting the east side of the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati to Third and York streets in Newport. 11 These alternatives were being considered:
- Alternative 1: This option involved rebuilding the bridge at its current location but with a smoother curve on the Newport approach. It would cost $29.4 million and necessitate the closure and demolition of the existing bridge before construction could begin.
- Alternative 2: This option proposed building the bridge further east with a curve at the opposite angle. It would cost $29.7 million and would not require the closure of the existing bridge during construction.
- Alternative 3: This option suggested an alignment that combined elements of Alternative 1 and Alternative 2. It would allow for much of the construction project to proceed without closing the existing bridge.
The 100-year-old Central Bridge was closed to traffic on February 17, 1992, in preparation for its demolition. 9 14 Motorists were redirected to the L&N Railroad Bridge or the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge.
Shortly after the closure, the demolition of the Central Bridge commenced under the supervision of the C. J. Mahan Construction Company, the general contractor. 14 On March 1, at 8:05 am, subcontractor Alcon Demolition used dynamite charges to destroy a 162-foot portion of the Newport approach. The cantilevered main span was imploded on March 20 at 8 am, 16 followed by a 379-foot section on April 8 at 8:16 am, 17 and another 379-foot section on April 29. 18 The final span was imploded on May 15 at 8 am. 21
On March 8, 1993, the process of driving pilings into the ground for the piers began. 22 The superstructure erection on the Newport approach, carried out by the Beasley Construction Company, was completed later in the same year. 19 In April 1994, crews started working on the Cincinnati approach, and by June, both sides were joined together. The steel work was fully concluded in August.
The opening of the new Central Bridge, originally scheduled for January 1995, faced several delays due to unfavorable weather conditions and issues with paint from the bridge affecting parked cars along the Cincinnati riverfront. 23 These delays pushed the opening date from late August to mid-October and then further into November. Eventually, on November 15, 1995, at 2:35 pm, the Central Bridge was finally opened to traffic.
The design of the new crossing was done by the local firm Hazelet & Erdal. 8 20 The construction of the Warren through truss bridge cost $26.5 million in total, 23 with Kentucky covering $19.3 million and Ohio contributing $6.6 million towards its cost. 9
It was initially named the Taylor-Southgate Bridge after James Taylor, Jr., and Richard Southgate, two early settlers of Newport, but the signs bearing the name of the bridge were taken down after controversy arose because the founding members of those families owned slaves. 24 Nonetheless, the bridge was officially dedicated the Taylor-Southgate Bridge on November 30 by Kentucky Governor Brereton Jones. 23
Gallery
Central Bridge
Taylor-Southgate Bridge
Information
- State: Kentucky, Ohio
- Route: US Route 27
- Type: Warren Through Truss
- Status: Active - Automobile
- Total Length: 2,966' (1891); 2,298' (1995)
- Main Span Length: 520' (1891); 850' (1995)
- Spans: 151' viaduct, 108' over Ludlow St., 81' viaduct, 162' truss, 252' cantilever arm in Cincinnati, 252' cantilever arm in Newport, 254'×2 trusses, 319' viaduct (1891)
- Deck Width: 24'(1891); 60' (1995)
- Roadway Width: 22.6' (1891)
- Above Vertical Clearance: 21.2'(1891)
- Navigational Clearance: 102' (1891)
Sources
- Fiegel, Jayne Henderson. U.S. ROUTE 27 CENTRAL BRIDGE. Rept. no. HAER No. KY-28. Atlanta: HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD, n.d. Print.
- Bridge plaques.
- Tenkotte, Paul A. “Our Rich History: Dueling with Demons — Depression, debt, and deluge in Newport, 1873-1896.” NKyTribune, 31 May 2021.
- Tenkotte, Paul A. “Our Rich History: Building bridges, ending monopolies — Newport commuters.” NKyTribune, 15 Mar. 2021.
- “Ohio River Bridges.” Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Aug. 1901.
- Mecklenborg, Jake. “Central Bridge.” Cincinnati Transit.
- Kaufman, Gustave and Osborn, F.C. “The Cantilever Highway Bridge at Cincinnati.” Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, 1892, pp. 173-220.
- Benson, Robert. “‘Plain & Predictable’.” Cicninnati Enquirer, 21 Sept. 1994, p. D1.
- “Bridge closing reroutes vehicles.” Cinicnnati Enquirer, 18 Feb. 1992, p. D1.
- “Now Is Time For Car-Riders To Demand Safety At Central Bridge.” Kentucky Post, 28 Dec. 1912, p. 1.
- Dias, Monica. “Central Bridge may be closed for 2-3 years.” Cincinnati Post, 3 Dec. 1987, p. 5B.
- “Central bridge won’t close, Kentucky official says.” Cincinnati Post, 30 Jul. 1970, p. 14.
- Dias, Monica. “Three bridges are starting to show the age.” Cincinnati Post, 22 Feb. 1988, p. 25D.
- Nolan, John. “Chapter closing on century-old bridge.” Messenger-Inquirer, 2 Mar. 1992, p. 4B.
- “Ohio River bridges here lifted many trade barriers between North, South.” Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Jan. 1961, p. 11.
- Ludlow, Randy. “‘Shooting’ the bridge.” Cincinnati Post, 19 Mar. 1992, pp. 1A-11A.
- “And down it comes.” Cincinnati Post, 8 Apr. 1992, p. 1A.
- “A bridge is abridged.” Cincinnati Enquirer, 30 Apr. 1992, p. D2.
- Horn, Dan. “On the Beam.” Cincinnati Post, 26 Apr. 1994, pp. 1A-5A.
- Prendergast, Jane. “It’s still the Central Bridge.” Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 Apr. 1994, p. 1B.
- “Final span of Central Bridge will be demolished today.” Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 May 1992, p. B2.
- “Piled high.” Cincinnati Post, 13 Mar. 1993, p. 9A.
- Schroeder, Cindy. “Work that spanned 4 years finally done.” Cincinnati Enquirer, 16 Nov. 1995, p. B1.
- “New bridge opens.” Cincinnati Post, 15 Nov. 1995, p. 13A.