Stone Arch Railroad Bridge - Springfield, MA - Stone Bridges on Waymarking.com

Before the Stone Arch Railroad Bridge was built the Boston & Albany Railroad used a street level railroad crossing on Main Street in Springfield. This created severe traffic congestion in the downtown area. In 1883, Henry Hobson Richardson submitted a design to build a new depot west of Main Street and an arch bridge to alleviate traffic congestion. Due to Richardson's premature death, construction of the the bridge and the depot was postponed until 1889 and the firm of Shepley, Rutan, & Coolidge completed the project. The granite stone arch bridge is 70' long, 60' wide and 12' 7" high at its highest point. The paraphet is 12' high to hide the trains passing along the bridge. The Stone Arch Railroad Bridge features the distinctive combination of granite blocks and brownstone trim which has become the hallmark of Richardsonian buildings.

The depot was replaced in 1925 but the bridge and retaining wall remain in use today.

Physical Location (city, county, etc.): Main Street, Springfield, MA Road, Highway, Street, etc.: CSX Railroad over Main Street Water or other terrain spanned: Main Street Architect/Builder: Henry Hobson Richardson; Shepley, Rutan, & Coolidge Construction Date: 1889

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