The Washington Street Bridge in Indianapolis has long served as a key crossing over the White River, tracing its origins to the early days of the National Road—the first federally funded highway in the United States. The first bridge at this location, a two-span covered structure completed in 1833, replaced a ferry service and supported westward expansion through the new state capital. Over the next several decades, the bridge was rebuilt multiple times, evolving from timber to iron to steel. Each iteration reflected advances in engineering, yet each faced its own challenges, including structural failure and catastrophic flooding. The most devastating of these events occurred during the Great Flood of 1913, which destroyed the existing span and called for a more durable solution.
Completed in 1916, the current bridge is a seven-span closed-spandrel concrete arch structure designed with longevity and flood resilience in mind. It carried vehicular and interurban traffic until the 1980s, when plans for White River State Park prompted a rethinking of its role. Public opposition to demolition led to its preservation, and by 1997, it had been fully converted into a pedestrian thoroughfare. Today, the Washington Street Bridge serves as both a functional path and a historical landmark, linking visitors to the city’s early infrastructure and its enduring relationship with the White River.
