Berkeley Bridge - Cumberland and Lincoln, Rhode Island - Truss Bridges on Waymarking.com

The Berkeley Bridge spans the Blackstone River between Cumberland and Lincoln, Rhode Island. The 155.5 foot [47.4 m] bridge was built in 1810 and most recently reconstructed in 2007. It carries Martin Street, an East-West two-lane road, and sidewalks over the water. The largest span is 77.1 feet [23.5 m], the roadway is 29.9 feet [9.1 m] wide, and the edge-to-edge deck width is 41.3 feet [12.6 m]. There are timber trusses and three spans of steel. It is designated Rhode Island bridge No. 769 by engraved and painted granite plaques embedded at either end of the structure.

The latest version was constructed by Aetna Bridge Company of Warwick, Rhode Island. Their web page includes construction photos and describes the project:

The key element in this bridge replacement project was its setting within the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. The design incorporated a grade separation between the roadway and the bike path. Instead of two separate bridges with an at-grade connection at the bikeway, the new bridge is a three-span, steel-girder structure spanning the river, the bikeway and the river. For historic preservation, the spans over the river are 75 feet long, as before, with new timber bowstring trusses. The concrete pier required at the western bank of the river is positioned with respect to the bikeway/pedestrian walkway so as to provide a scenic overlook. Other project requirements included steel cofferdams, granite wall construction, H-pile foundations, and cast-in-place concrete deck. Aetna Bridge received the RIDOT Transportation Pioneering Award for this project.

Two ways to visit the site are:
- by car -- safe parking on the Cumberland side, at the Berkley Oval town baseball field approximately 75 yards to the east.
- via the Blackstone River Bikeway -- the bicycle and pedestrian path passes below and includes an entrance at the western end of the bridge. (See bikeway website for parking areas and access points listed on a map.)

Sources:
BridgeReports.com: MARTIN ST over BLACKSTONE RIVER
BridgeHunter.com: Blackstone River Bridge

Parking Coordinates:: N 41° 55.627 W 071° 25.693 Date Built: 08/28/2007 Length of Span: 155.5 ft [47.4 m] www: MARTIN ST over BLACKSTONE RIVER

Visit Instructions:
Log your find with a picture of the bridge with yourself or your GPS in the foreground. This shot does not have to be taken "on" the bridge. The shot should show the "truss" structure of the bridge as well.

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