The annual Historic Bridge Award is a collaboration of members from the Federal Highway
Administration, State Historic Preservation Office, ODOT’s Office of Environmental Services, and the
County Engineers Association.
The awards program is a component to FHWA, ODOT and SHPO’s Section 106 Programmatic Agreement
which streamlines and monitors the cultural resources aspect of the Environmental Process.
The awards program is submitted by FHWA to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in
Washington D. C., to document outstanding examples in stewardship and preservation of historic
bridges in our state.
Section 144(g) of the National Bridge and Tunnel Inventory and Inspection Standards states that “The
Secretary shall encourage retention, rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, and future study of historic bridges.
And reasonable costs associated with actions to preserve, or reduce impact of a project on the historic
integrity of a historic bridge shall be eligible as reimbursable project costs. In cases where the bridge will
not be open to motor vehicle traffic, those costs shall not exceed estimated demolition costs.” (23 U.S. Code
§ 144(g)(2) and (4)(A) - National bridge and tunnel inventory and inspection standards)
Clermont County Stonelick-Williams Corner Road Covered Bridge
The first award goes to Clermont County for the rehabilitation of the 1878 Howe Truss Covered Bridge.
Rehabilitation of the covered bridge began in 2013 and was reopened to traffic in April of 2015. The
rehabilitation effort salvaged and reintegrated approximately 57% of the existing bridge. The covered
bridge is supported by a twelve (12) panel Howe Truss first patented in 1840 and spans 136 feet with a
width of 16 feet and a height of 15 feet.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The bridge was repainted using its
original barn-red color. The lower cords and flooring system were strengthened to increase safety.
Added safety features include: wind bracing, guardrails, new lighting and video surveillance. The
bridge’s weight limit was increased from three tons to eight. Total Project costs were $975,000, using
National Covered Bridge Program funds, and Transportation Alternatives Program funding through OKI.
ODOT District 2 Henry 24/424 Stone Arch Viaducts
The second award goes to ODOT’s District 2 for the rehabilitation of eight stone arch culverts originally
built as viaducts in the mid-1800's as part of the Miami & Erie Canal. Existing damaged stone block
headwalls & wingwalls were removed and reconstructed with the use of limestone replacement blocks
or precast concrete blocks. Soil nails with a reinforced shotcrete wall and/or wire mechanicallystabilized earth walls were constructed behind the reconstructed block walls to relieve earth pressure
from the newly reconstructed block walls. One location the existing 20' span x 10' rise x 128' long stone
arch culvert was re-lined with a corrugated metal multi-plate arch on cast-in-place concrete spread
footers on top of existing 1800 era timbers. A second location required similar re-lining of a 34-foot span
culvert. The first day of work started on March/26/2013, and the project was complete: May /28/15
The project was completed using Major New Transportation funds and has an average daily traffic count
of 4,250 vehicles, including trucks.
Preble County Seven Mile Road Bridge
The third award goes to Preble County for the rehabilitation of the Seven Mile Road…..
The rehabilitation of the Seven Mile Road Pegram Truss began in December 2013 and was completed in
September 2014. The structure was completely disassembled and analyzed to save as many original
members as possible. Items that were found to be in need of replacement contained; stringers, wood
decking, vertical eye bars, and bearing devices. Original lattice railing was re-used on the structure to
preserve the historic integrity. Original plaques from the Indiana Bridge Company were also saved and
remain on the bridge today. All truss members, new and old, were galvanized before reassembly. The
structure was set in place on a newly encased west abutment and a completely new east abutment. The
encasement of the west wall was necessary to preserve the stability of the nearby railroad.
Stark Canton SR 172 ODOT District 4
Begun as a bridge replacement project in 2009, the historic significance of the 1923 Stark State Route
172 concrete arch bridge in Canton was included in a statewide reevaluation at the same time, and
ultimately determined as being eligible for the National Register, as an early example of an Ohio Dept. of
Highways Bridge Bureau arch design. In 2012, this structure was included in a group of 30 bridges that
received a Historic Bridge Management Plan through ODOT’s task order contract with Burgess & Niple
and Hardlines Design Company.
The aesthetically-detailed bridge features a hollow fascia panel to conceal utility lines, hammered
finishes, and additional rebar reinforcement at the centerline to help support the interurban trolley cars.
The resulting rehabilitation required extensive patching of the arch underside with complete
replacement of the northern 2-foot width of arch. The self-supporting and under-reinforced south
spandrel wall was discreetly attached to the top of the arch instead of replaced as a means of preserving
more of the structure’s historic fabric. Cathodic protection in the form of strip and puck anodes were
attached to the existing steel reinforcement in all arch patches. The existing railings were replaced with
taller concrete railings and precast balusters closely matching the originals while now able to resist
vehicular impact loads.
The project achieved the goal of preserving as much of the historic fabric as possible, incorporating longlasting repairs. The 100% state-funded rehabilitation was performed from April 2013 through May 2014.
The bridge is open to truck traffic and carries 150% Ohio Legal Loads.
We are awarding ODOT’s District 4 and Jones Stuckey, a division of Pennoni for their completion of the
Stark 172 concrete filled arch.
Wyandot County- Indian Mill Bridge
The bridge originally built in 1913 is an increasingly rare example of a steel double intersection Pratt
through Truss. This style is the last of its kind in the County. An improvement alternative study was
completed in 2008 and it was determined the best option was to rehabilitate the bridge by
disassembling the members, strengthen the bridge, and galvanize all the steel members. The bridge is
designed to carry full HS 20 and 150% Ohio Legal Loads.
The bridge is called the "Indian Mill Bridge" and is located next to a 19th Century grist Mill originally
constructed in 1861 called the "Indian Mill". The Mill got its name because its predecessor gristmill and a
saw mill, located 300 feet upstream from this mill, were built by the U.S. government in 1820 in
appreciation of the local Wyandot Indians' loyalty during the War of 1812. It is currently operated by the
Ohio History Connection as an educational museum of milling. The bridge is just downstream from a
timber low-head dam used to raise the river water level to operate the mill. The bridge crosses the
Sandusky River, a designated as a State Scenic River. The bridge provides access from the Mill to a park
operated by the County and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Transportation Alternatives Program funding was used with a 20% local match.
Muskingum County National Road Reciprocity Bridge
MaryEllen Weingartner, President of the Ohio National Road Association, is joining us, to present the
Historic Bridge Award to ODOT District 5 for the maintenance and preservation and long-term
stewardship of this important National Road feature.
ODOT’s District 5 Environmental Coordinators and Highway Maintenance Crew members have
partnered to ensure that the destructive overgrowth is seasonally removed in a materials-sensitive
manor that keeps the stone masonry and early concrete slab roadway preserved. This includes avoiding
direct spraying of herbicides on the stone material and cutting vines at the ground level and allowing
them to rot away on their own rather than pulling them from the masonry.
Future plans for this site include a roadside pull-off outlined with stones reused from a collapsed stone
culvert, and the installation of interpretive sign that will be provided by the Ohio National Road
Association.
Scioto County Otway Covered Bridge
We’d like to present Craig Opperman, the Scioto County Engineer, an award for the rehabilitation of the
Otway Covered Bridge. Using funds from the National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program and
matching state and local funds, Scioto County’s only surviving covered bridge, has been preserved.
Robert W. Smith, of the Smith Bridge Company from Tipp City and later Toledo, was the original
designer and builder. In 1874, it was fabricated and assembled in Toledo, all pieces matched-marked,
disassembled and shipped to the site and built in place. It is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places. A majority of the truss members were reused; however, the siding and roofing were replaced.
Jones-Stuckey, A Division of Pennoni was the design engineering firm for the rehabilitation.
In closing, we’d like to encourage you to contact your local ODOT District Planning Administrator and
apply for Transportation Alternative Funds to complete a historic bridge rehabilitation or adaptive reuse
project.
Thanks.