6th street bridge

6th street bridge, originally uploaded by MattsLens.

The Sixth Street Bridge, with its long 535 foot span and restored condition, is a fitting tribute to its builder, the Massillon Bridge Company of Massillon Ohio. Constructed in 1886, this bridge is made of wrought iron. A major modification occurred when the western truss span was shortened after a canal was removed. As a result, this bridge has an unusual appearance when viewed from a distance... it looks more like a three span truss with a short through approach span. Still, this modification adds to the uniqueness of the bridge. One set of the vertical members appears to have been reused when the truss was shortened, as there is a v-laced brace running from the western endpost of the short span to the bottom chord. As such, the short span has only five panels, while the other spans have ten panels. The bridge is a pin connected Pratt through truss. The portal bracing is ornate, and is composed of two latticed sections connected by rods in an "x" shape. The plaques do not remain on the bridge, and look like they might have been on the portal bracing. V-lacing is present on vertical members and under the top chord. Round finials are present at each end of the bridge. Original guardrails remain on the sidewalk, and are very beautiful, and were clearly designed with some decorative purpose in mind. Guardrails for the cars are wooden and are not original. The deck appears to be wood with a layer of asphalt on top. This deck looks to be deteriorating, and may need to be replaced in the future years. The paint on the bridge was dark green, and looked fairly recently repainted. I could find no rust on the bridge.

This bridge is a perfect example of the sort of treatment that all truss bridges should be receiving. Restored in its original location, this bridge continues to serve its original purpose of carrying vehicular traffic.

Historical details courtesy of: historicbridges.org/truss/6th/