Washington Street Bridge

The Washington Street Bridge is a closed-spandrel arch bridge that carries the original National Road over the White River in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.

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The Washington Street Bridge is a closed-spandrel arch bridge that carries the original National Road over the White River in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.

History

Origins of Washington Street and the National Road

When Indianapolis was platted in 1821, Washington Street was laid out as the widest street in the new town. ¹ The National Road, the first federally funded highway project in the United States, was conceived as a cross-country route and began construction in Indiana in 1829. ⁴

In March 1831, the Indiana General Assembly appropriated $75,000 to grade the National Road to the White River and to construct a bridge across it to replace a ferry crossing. ⁶ By 1832, the road had been graded from East Street to Eagle Creek. Construction of a two-span covered bridge began that year and was completed in 1833. ^{6 11}

Poplar timber for the bridge was felled eight miles upriver, sawn into beams approximately three feet square, and rafted down the river before being hauled ashore. ⁶ A frame was erected from the riverbank, and the beams were cut to fit. Stone was quarried one mile north of Waverly and transported to Indianapolis by ox team. ¹¹

The finished covered bridge connected Washington Street to Washington Avenue, a short side street at Blackford Street. ^{6 11}

The National Road was eventually macadamized with three layers of stone, each three inches thick. ⁶ However, subsequent improvements stalled after Presidents Jackson and Van Buren vetoed Congressional funding proposals. The State of Indiana assumed control, and a plank road company was later formed under a state charter.

Bowstring and Girder Bridges

In 1872, the deteriorating covered bridge was replaced by a three-span bowstring iron truss bridge. ^{2 6 11} This structure failed in 1900 when it collapsed under the weight of a streetcar. ¹¹ In 1903, it was replaced with five steel deck-plate girder spans. At the time, some criticized the depth of the foundations, but budget limitations prevented deeper construction.

1913 Flood and Bridge Replacement

A major flood on March 26, 1913, washed away the Washington Street Bridge. ^{3 7 11} The flooding undermined the piers and the east abutment, and all but the west span collapsed. ¹¹

On June 10, 1914, a bond issue of $300,000 was approved, allowing a construction contract to be offered to Cleary-White Construction Company of Chicago for $418,000. ⁸ Some city council members advocated for a more economical design proposed by Daniel B. Luten, a leading Indiana engineer known for his innovative concrete bridge designs and numerous patents. ^{9 10 11}

Luten, Indiana’s most inventive concrete bridge engineer and one of its most prolific builders, held many patents for special reinforcing systems and different shapes in concrete spans. [10][11]

On July 10, 1914, a contract was signed with the National Concrete Company, one of Luten’s affiliated firms, for $331,110 to construct a five-span concrete bridge. ^{9 10 11} The design allowed for future expansion to accommodate flood control plans. On August 6, 1915, two additional spans were awarded to the same firm for $110,000, extending the bridge to seven spans. ^{10 11}

Demolition of the old structure was slow and labor-intensive. ¹¹ Two custom-built heavy travellers were employed to dismantle the previous bridge, and a diver was used to locate underwater debris. A cofferdam, measuring 30 by 115 feet, was built only after all wreckage was cleared from new pier sites.

The completed bridge, a seven-span closed-spandrel concrete arch structure, measured 844 feet and opened in 1916. ^{3 5 10 11} It featured a 58-foot-wide roadway, an offset alignment of 30 degrees, and piers extending 15 feet below river level. Foundations rested on 25-foot piles driven into gravel, with a total of 3,431 piles used; one pier extended to a depth of 25 feet. Span lengths ranged from 106 to 120 feet, accommodating both interurban rail and automobile traffic.

Rerouting and Pedestrian Conversion

In 1980, plans were initiated to develop White River State Park as a downtown urban park along the White River. ¹² The initial proposal called for demolishing the aging Washington Street Bridge and replacing it with a multi-level pedestrian crossing at a cost of $8 million. A new vehicular bridge was to be constructed two blocks south, providing a direct connection between the park and the Indianapolis Zoo.

Due to significant public opposition to demolishing the Washington Street Bridge, city officials decided in January 1984 to preserve the historic structure as a pedestrian-only thoroughfare. ¹²

The new Washington Street Bridge, constructed two blocks south of the original, opened to traffic on July 22, 1985, at a cost of $11.3 million. ¹⁴ The dedication ceremony included speeches by Governor Robert Orr and Mayor William Hudnut, as well as a parade of animals from the Indianapolis Zoo.

In June 1989, funding was approved for a study to assess the cost of rehabilitating the old Washington Street Bridge. ¹³ That April, the commission had discovered that metal rods anchoring the side walls to the bridge had significantly deteriorated, causing the walls to separate from the structure. Although the side walls functioned solely as traffic barriers and did not compromise the bridge’s overall structural integrity, the issue required attention. ¹⁵

Engineers estimated that $20,000 would be needed for temporary stabilization. ¹⁵ This would involve anchoring the side walls to the arch rings with bolts, a measure expected to extend their service life by five to six years.

The 1989 study presented four primary options for addressing the bridge’s long-term preservation: ¹⁵

• Rehabilitation Option 1: Restore the bridge to its original condition, replace the side walls with stone railings positioned directly atop the arch, install surface and deep drainage systems, and stabilize a cracked span. The estimated cost was $3.81 million.
• Rehabilitation Option 2: This option was similar to the first option, but it substitutes the stone railing with a chain-link fence. The estimated cost was $2.99 million.
• Reduction Option: Reduce the bridge’s clear deck surface from 76 feet to 30 feet by removing 25 feet from each side of the existing arch rings. The estimated cost was $2.82 million.
• Reconstruction Option: Remove the existing pavement, sand fill, and side walls. Widen the arches, install new concrete beams, and repave the surface with brick or stone. The estimated cost was $5.34 million.

In 1997, a $2.5 million project was completed to convert the old Washington Street Bridge into a pedestrian thoroughfare. ¹⁶ Today, the bridge forms part of the Central White River Trail and serves as a connecting feature of White River State Park. ¹

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Gallery

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Details

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Sources

1. Simpson III, Richard M. “Indianapolis: Washington Street and National Road Bridges.” Indiana Transportation History, 2 Aug. 2019.
2. “The Old Covered Bridge W. Washington St., Indianapolis, February 23, 1902.” Indiana Historical Society.
3. Goodling, Noah, Jenny Kalvaitis, and Nick Sacco. “The Old Washington Street Bridge.” Exploring Indianapolis.
4. “INDOT History.” Indiana Department of Transportation.
5. Polley, Frederick. “Sixth West Washington Street Bridge.” Indianapolis Star, 4 Feb. 1945.
6. Herschell, William. “Michigan Road Bridge Over White River, Numbered Among the Doomed, Will Give Way to a Modern Structure as its Contemporaries Did.” Indianapolis News, 30 Aug. 1919, p. 10.
7. “Flood Breaks Over Fall Creek Boulevard.” Indianapolis Star, 26 Mar. 1913, p. 1.
8. “Bond Program Set for Today.” Indianapolis Star, 10 Jul. 1914, p. 16.
9. “City May Enter Bridge Trouble.” Indianapolis News, 11 Jul, 1914, pp. 1-21.
10. “Old West Washington Street Bridge.” Indiana Department of Natural Resources, 1989.
11. “The National Concrete Company of Indianapolis.” Oct. 1916.
12. Davidoff, Douglass. “Washington Bridge To Remain.” Indianapolis News, 26 Jan. 1984, p. 17.
13. Schneider, Rob. “Washington Street bridge study OKd by park commission.” Indianapolis Star, 23 Jan. 1989, p. C4.
14. “Washington Street bridge to open.” Indianapolis News, 19 Jul. 1985, p. 17.
15. Pockrass, Steven. “Options studied for old Washington St. bridge.” Indianapolis News, 16 Nov. 1989, p. C9.
16. Swiatek, Jeff. “Canal project is just about done.” Indianapolis News, 20 Mar. 1997, pp. D1-D6.