- Maryland Bridge
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Maryland Bridge Crosses Assiniboine River Locale Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Maintained by City of Winnipeg Number of spans 5 The Maryland Bridge (first bridge variant: Boundary Bridge; third bridge variant: Maryland Twin Bridge) is a crossing over the Assiniboine River in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Serving as a major transportation link for metropolitan Winnipeg along Highway 70, three bridges have born the same name. Nearby landmarks include Misericordia Health Centre, Cornish Library and Shaare Zedek Synagogue.
Architecture
- Original bridge
The first bridge, of steel truss,[1] was constructed in 1894. It was nicknamed the Boundary Bridge, because Maryland Street once served as Winnipeg's western boundary.[2]
- Second bridge
After a Census of Traffic was conducted on the original bridge because of increased traffic and safety concerns, construction began on the second Maryland Bridge in 1920,[2] and was completed in 1921. It was a concrete arch structure that included a colored aggregate of red granite, crushed to pass through a .75 inches (19 mm) screen, exposed by scrubbing with steel brushes, and cleaned by several washings of muriatic acid and water.[3]
Winnipeg's only major bridge disaster occurred in 1937 when the 330-ton bridge counter weight fell on the deck of the second bridge.[4] A corner post shaped as a cairn has been preserved from the second Maryland Bridge and is displayed by the current bridge.[1] The bridge was closed for demolition upon the opening of the Twin Bridge's western span.
- Current bridge
The current bridge, sometimes referred to as the Maryland Twin Bridge, consists of I-shaped AASHTO girders;[5] and twin, five-span continuous precast prestressed concrete structures.[6] It was opened to traffic in two stages: the west structure on 8 November 1969, and the east structure on 5 August 1970. Constructed by the Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg, it was financed by the provincial government.[1] Renovations to the northbound span occurred in 2005 while those to the southbound span occurred the following year.[2]
References
- ^ a b c Goldsborough, Gordon (28 December 2010). "Historic Sites of Manitoba: Maryland Twin Bridge". The Manitoba Historical Society. http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/sites/marylandtwinbridge.shtml. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
- ^ a b c "Maryland Bridge". Pathways to Winnipeg History. http://www.winnipeg.ca/clerks/docs/pathways/MovingPic02/MovingPic02-0001.stm. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
- ^ Engineering and contracting. Gillette Publishing Co.. 1922. pp. 4–. http://books.google.com/books?id=baTmAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA4-PA79. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
- ^ Siamandas, George. "Winnipeg's Historic Bridges". timemachine.siamandas.com. http://timemachine.siamandas.com/PAGES/winnipeg_stories/BRIDGES.htm. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
- ^ Rizkalla, S. H.; Nanni, Antonio (2003). Field applications of FRP reinforcement: case studies. American Concrete Institute. p. 242. ISBN 9780870311215. http://books.google.com/books?id=76xRAAAAMAAJ. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
- ^ "Field Demonstration Projects Manitoba". ISIS Canada Research Network. http://www.isiscanada.com/demo/manitoba.html. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
Categories:- 1894 in transport
- Bridges in Manitoba
- Buildings and structures in Winnipeg
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