Benson Bridge

The Benson Bridge, located in Frankfort, Kentucky, currently carries a pedestrian trail over Benson Creek.

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The Benson Bridge, located in Frankfort, Kentucky, currently carries a pedestrian trail over Benson Creek. It previously served as a vehicular crossing for Taylor Road, part of U.S. Route 421.

The original crossing was a covered bridge built in 1871 that collapsed on April 30, 1880. ¹³ An intoxicated individual who had fallen asleep on the bridge was present at the time but was not injured.

On June 5, ¹⁴ the county court awarded a contract to the King Iron Bridge Manufacturing Company of Cleveland, Ohio, for a new iron through truss superstructure. ^{8 10 14} The bridge was designed as a single-span structure, 190 feet in length and 20 feet in total width, with a 16-foot-wide roadway and a 4-foot-wide sidewalk. The superstructure was projected to cost $6,750, with a total estimated project cost of $10,000.

However, the partially completed structure was washed away on December 15 while work was underway. ⁹ It was recovered from the creek bed and sent to Cleveland for repairs, which were completed within a few weeks at a cost of $14,000. ^{12 14} The new Benson Bridge was finished in April 1881. ¹¹

When U.S. Route 421 was designated in 1930, the highway spanned 941 miles from North Carolina to Indiana, passing through Frankfort via Taylor Road and crossing Benson Creek on the existing iron bridge.

By 1954, plans were underway to replace the aging structure with a new concrete bridge 400 feet upstream. ¹ In June 1956, the State Highway Department awarded the construction contract to W.M. Hooper of Caneyville, the low bidder at $362,733. ² The new Benson Bridge was completed in 1957. ^{3 4}

Rather than demolish the old truss, officials preserved it for pedestrian use, maintaining a local connection to the Bellepoint neighborhood. ^{2 4} The historic Benson Bridge was later abandoned. ⁵

In 1995, the City of Frankfort received $100,000 for renovation work on the Benson Bridge as part of a project to develop a riverfront park along the Kentucky River. ^{6 7} The funds were allocated for structural repairs and replacement of the bridge’s decking, which was completed by July 1996. ⁷ Painting the rust-covered structure was expected to cost an additional $40,000, and was tabled. ⁶ A federal grant had previously covered the initial phase of restoration.

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Details

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Sources

1. “Concrete Bridge To Span Benson Creek 400 Feet Above Present Structure.” Franklin County News, 23 Jun. 1955, p. 1.
2. “Frankfort, Nicholas, and Scott Road Project Contracts Let.” Lexington Herald, 24 Jun. 1956, p. 31.
3. “New Bridge in Franklin County.” Herald-Leader, 23 Jul. 1957, p. 2.
4. “Nearly Complete.” State Journal, 19 Jul. 1957, p. 1.
5. Baker, David L. “‘Red Bridge’ could be yours-free!” State Journal, 27 Feb. 1992, pp. A1-A10.
6. Baker, Dave. “Preserving history has high price.” State Journal, 19 Oct. 1995, pp. A1-A8.
7. Baker, Dave. “River park plan trimmed.” State Journal, 12 Jul. 1996, pp. A1-A2.
8. “The Kentucky Capital.” Courier-Journal, 2 Dec. 1880, p. 1.
9. “Kentucky News.” Carlisle Mercury, 16 Dec. 1880, p. 2.
10. “The Kentucky Capital.” Courier-Journal, 27 Nov. 1880, p. 3.
11. Weekly Kentucky Yeoman, 5 Apr. 1881, p. 3.
12. Weekly Kentucky Yeoman, 18 Jan. 1881, p. 3.
13. “Weekly Roundabout.” Frankfort Roundabout, 1 May 1880, p. 4.
14. “General News.” Kentuckian-Citizen, 8 Dec. 1880, p. 2.
15. Weekly Kentucky Yeoman, 8 Jun. 1880, p. 3.