Tidal Basin Inlet Bridge -1908 - Washington, DC - Bridge Date Stones and Plaques on Waymarking.com

The Inlet Bridge, which is located on Ohio Drive SW, was constructed in 1908-09 after it was determined that the primary tidal gate was insufficient for regulating the basin’s flow. The bridge was designed by noted Washington, DC architect Nathan C. Wyeth and features ornamental gargoyles.

Interestingly, at the entrance of either end of the bridge, the date stone of the left says "1908" and the date stone on the right says "1909".

Excerpted from a detailed history of the Tidal Inlet Bridge:

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Wyeth designed an "ornamental Concrete" Bridge 184 feet long, with a 25 foot roadway flanked by two sidewalks, each 7 feet 3 inches in width. The ends of the bridge, and the center span, were marked by concrete piers - four pairs in all. The lock span was 46 feet 8 inches by 26 feet, with the longer dimension running perpendicular to the main bridge axis, producing on the Potomac-River side a section projecting outward from the principal plane of the bridge wall.To each side of the removable center span were two fixed spans.

Architect Nathan Wyeth had intended four decorative lighting standards for Inlet Bridge. These were cast in bronze and placed on the four pedestals marking the center span of the bridge. The tops of the pedestals at the center span of the bridge were built up slightly to act as bases for the four 100-candle-power standards, each with three lights bearing "alabasterine." white-glass globes.

With the placement of the lighting standards in late 1912, the Tidal Basin Inlet Bridge was essentially completed.

Under a contract let in May 1926, the roadway of the bridge over the inlet to the tidal basin was widened in order to accommodate the large number of automobiles using the bridge. The steeply curving approaches and the high-crowned roadway of the bridge were modified for modern traffic, and steel I-beams inserted under the roadway to strengthen it. At the same time a new sidewalk was constructed on the Potomac River side of the bridge, outside the original concrete parapet and over the gate machinery. By moving the sidewalk, the roadway could be widened to 34 feet and a bridle path constructed. A plain metal railing was installed along the new sidewalk, and for some reason as yet undocumented, the lighting standards were moved from the center piers of the bridge to the piers at the entrances.

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Date built or dedicated as indicated on the date stone or plaque.: 1908 & 1909 Date stone, plaque location.: East end of bridge. Road, body of water, land feature, etc. that the bridge spans.: Potomac River to Tidal Basin Website (if available): [Web Link] Parking (safe parking location): Not Listed

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