Barrel Arch Bridge, Lorton, VA
Posted by: 
garmin_geek
N 38° 42.311 W 077° 14.844
18S E 304577 N 4286458
The only brick, barrel arch bridge of it's kind in Virginia.
Waymark Code: WMF5CC
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 08/26/2012
Views: 9
"This bridge located nearby on State Route 611, is a singular example of prison labor craftmanship. The inmates constructed the bridge in 1946 using bricks they made themselves in the prison brickyard. Referred to as a voussoir arch bridge, or 'barrel vault' bridge due to its resemblance to the inside of a wooden barrel, the bridge crosses over a spur of the Lorton & Occoquan Railroad. It is constructed in a five course common bond brick pattern and is 23 feet wide. It is the only masonary and brick arch bridge of its kind in Virginia.
Arch building construction is one of the oldest and most durable structural forms. Perhaps the oldest existing example of a stone arch bridge was built to cross the River Meles in Smyrna, Turkey in the ninth century, B.C. and they can be found all over the world. Today this complex form is seldom used for modern bridges and the arched bridge is a vanishing feature in the transportation landscape." (sign)
What type of traffic does this bridge support?: roadway
What kind of gap does this bridge cross?:
Lorton and Occoquan railroad spur
Date constructed: 1946
Is the bridge still in service for its original purpose?: yes
Name of road or trail the bridge services: VA State Route 611, Furnance Road
Location:
Lorton, VA
Length of bridge: Not listed
Height of bridge: Not listed
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