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Anthony Wayne Bridge

The Anthony Wayne Bridge, also referred to as the High Level Bridge, carries Ohio Routes 2, 51, and 65 over the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio. It is the last suspension bridge on the Ohio state highway network after the Fort Steuben Bridge was demolished on February 22, 2012. The crossing is named after General Anthony Wayne, a United States Army officer and statesman who had mounted an assault on the Indian confederacy at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in modern-day Maumee. It was a decisive victory for United States forces, ending the war and eventually leading to a treaty that gave most of what is now Ohio to the United States.



With the assistance of Moisseiff and architect Cass Gilbert, the firm Waddell & Hardesty designed the 3,215 feet suspension bridge and constructed it in 1931 1 for $2.6 million. 4 It featured the first significant plate girder spans in the United States at 9.8 feet deep and diagonally braced towers.

The crossing was rehabilitated in 1961 and received major repairs in 1997-98 when some suspender cables were replaced. 2 The main suspension cables were also wrapped with a waterproofing material, and the deck resurfaced.

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) proposed to rehabilitate the Anthony Wayne Bridge in 2013 as part of a three-year, $50 million overhaul. 2 It would include rebuilding the first approach Warren deck truss spans on either side of the suspension bridge with new two-span girders, replacing the deck, corrosion removal on the steel girders, cable repairs, and painting. ODOT awarded the renovation project to the E.S. Wagner Company of Oregon for $28.7 million, and the crossing was closed to all traffic between the spring of 2014 and 2015. 3

The renovation project is expected to keep the Anthony Wayne Bridge serviceable for an additional 50 years. 2


Details

  • State: Ohio
  • Route: OH Routes 2, 51, and 65
  • Status: Active (Automobile)
  • Type: Wire Suspension
  • Total Length: 3,215 feet
  • Main Span Length: 785 feet
  • Spans:
  • Deck Width: 60 feet
  • Roadway Width: 54 feet
  • Height of Structure: 104 feet
  • Above Vertical Clearance: 0
  • Navigational Clearance:


Sources

  1. “Anthony Wayne Bridge.” Historic Bridges, 2013. 6 Sept. 2013 Article.
  2. Patch, David. “Anthony Wayne Bridge to close 2 years for repairs, likely in 2013.” Toledo Blade 16 Apr. 2012: n.p. Web. 6 Sept. 2013.
  3. “Anthony Wayne Bridge Project.” Ohio Department of Transportation, Aug. 2013. 6 Sept. 2013. Article.
  4. Scott, Richard. “War and Depression.” In the Wake of Tacoma. American Society of Civil Engineers Press, 2001. 32-33. Print.
  5. Weber, Laren. “Beneath the beams, abutments, and concrete, Toledo’s Maumee crossings have a story to tell.” Toledo Blade 17 June 2007: n.p. Web. 6 Sept. 2013.

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