New Britain herald., 1928-11-16
C0NN.'S HIGHWAY
BRIDGES PRAISED
German Thinks States System
Is Excellent


embodied In the construction of sew
eral OF Connecticut's highway
bridges over the main rivers that
flow through the state is lauded by
High Commissioner Weidmann of
the German Federated Railroad in
an article in the September Is num-
Der OF Die Reichsban, an engineer
ing magazine published in Berlin. OF
great number OF American bridges
which the commissioner inspected in
this country, he picks out three Con-
necticut structures for special de-
scription, because of the original and
skillful manner in which engineering
principles were utilized in their con-
struction.
The German engineer describes
two Connecticut drawbridges: that
crossing the Thames River between
Groton and New London, and the
Middletown bridge over the Connec-
ticut river. In addition, the REIN
forced concrete liftbridge which
spans the Housatonic between the
towns Of Devon and Stratford was
pointed out as making a remarka Bile
impression upon the viewer.
In connection with the reconstruc-
ton in 1923-24 of the Middletown
bridge, which has six openings. two
of which are spanned by a draw
bridge $50 feet in length, the Ger
man railroad commissioner praised
the ingenious and thorough carrying
out Of the task. THE reconstruction,
although complicated" a translated
portion of the article reads, was
thorough and not only effected the
floor system, but practically every
part of the structure; even the ten
sion members of the structure were
provided with turnbuckles to bring
even strain upon all members"
Concerning the special features in.
volved in the construction of the
highway bridge over the Thames
river at New London, the article
goes into considerable detail The CO.
Ordinated action of this drawbridge
with a railroad liftbridge which runs
parallel with and close to it, and
the device of counter weight
which rolls out upon the shortened
arm on the side of the railroad
bridge in order to balance the en-
tire structure, are pointed out as
unique and valuable features. The
new railroad bridge which, due to
local conditions. was placed along
side the highway bridge, is operated
by liftspan. the article explains.
and the operation of the two bridges
10 interdependent.
A further Mandatory description OF
tho reinforced concrete bridge over
the Housatonic between Devon and
Stratford is contained in the article.
and the general beauty Of the white
structure as we'll as the solution OF
the engineering problems involved
are both remarked upon as out
standing examples of American
achievement along this line. This
highway bridge consists of four re-
inforced concrete arch spans OF
about 100 feet in width. An electri-
cally operated two leaf steel mt
bridge is located in the center of the
four reinforced concrete arches
spanning an opening of about $50
feet. The roadway is approximately
Is feet wide, and on each side OF the
bridge sidewalks six feet VIDE are
cantilevered out over the sides OF
the arches by means OF brackets
The bridge carries a double track
electric street railway.
The article is accompanied by
pictures and diagrams showing
era phically the engineering features
OF the structures described, and is
one OF a series by the German rail-
road commissioner concerning Amer
lean engineering features in num-
Der of fields.