Mystic River Bascule Bridge

Mystic River Bascule Bridge
290px Facing west on the bridge
Coordinates
Carries	US 1
Crosses	Mystic River
Locale	Mystic, Connecticut
Official name	Mystic River Bascule Bridge
Owner	ConnDOT
Characteristics
Design	Bascule
Total length	218 ft (66 m)
Width	85 ft (26 m)
History
Designer	Thomas Ellis Brown
Constructed by	J. E. FitzGerald Construction Company
Opened	1920
Statistics
Daily traffic	11,800

The Mystic River Bascule Bridge is a bascule bridge spanning the Mystic River in Mystic, Connecticut in the United States. It carries vehicle and foot traffic directly into the tourist district of town via 33 ft-wide (10 m) Main Street (U.S. Route 1).

History

The Strauss Heel-trunnion type bridge was designed by former Otis Elevator Company Chief Engineer Thomas Ellis Brown of New York and built in 1920 by the J. E. FitzGerald Construction Company of New London, Connecticut, according to its historical marker. Its movable span is 85 ft (26 m) wide, 218 ft (66 m) long, weighs , and employs two 230 short tons (205 long tons; 209 t) concrete-filled counterweights. Until 1928, the bridge carried streetcars of the Groton and Stonington Street Railway.

It is operated by the Connecticut Department of Transportation and offers and opens for approximately five minutes around 2,200 times per year, carrying an average daily traffic of 11,800. Driven by two 1,400 pounds (640 kg) 40 horsepower (30 kW) direct current motors, its span is greased and inspected every 100 openings or two weeks during the winter. From May 1 to October 31 the bridge opens hourly during daylight at 40 minutes past the hour and on demand.

Pictures

• Mystic river bridge.jpg

  The Mystic River Bascule Bridge

• Mystic bridge up.png

  Mystic River Bascule Bridge in full-up position

File:Mystic River Bascule Bridge Pivot Wheel.JPG

Located at the center part of the bridge.

File:Mystic River Bascule Bridge (looking west).JPG

Looking at the bridge from the east side of the street.

File:Mystic River Bascule Bridge (counter weights).JPG

Good view of the counter weights.

File:Mystic River Bascule Bridge (plague).JPG

The plaque that describes when and by whom the bridge was built.

See also

• List of bascule bridges
• List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Connecticut
• List of movable bridges in Connecticut

External links

• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons
• Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. CT-174, "Mystic River Bridge, Spanning Mystic River at U.S. Route 1, Groton, New London County, CT", 23 photos, 14 data pages, 3 photo caption pages
• Webcam showing bascule bridge in Mystic