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Charles M. Berry Bascule Bridge

General Information

Other name(s): Erie Avenue Bridge
Completion: 12 November 1940
Status: in use

Project Type

Structure: Double-leaf bascule bridge
bascule span:
Deck truss bridge
bascule span:
Cantilever truss bridge
Function / usage: Road bridge
Material: Steel bridge

Awards and Distinctions

1940 Honorable Mention  

Location

Location: , , ,
Address: Erie Avenue (U.S. Route 6)
Crosses:
  • Black River
Coordinates: 41° 28' 11.68" N    82° 10' 32.15" W
Show coordinates on a map

Technical Information

Dimensions

total length 320.6 m
height above valley floor or water 12.2 m
bascule span length 101.5 m
deck number of lanes 4

Cost

cost of construction United States dollar 1 000 000

Materials

deck steel

Chronology

1930s

Beginning of construction.

November 1940

Opened.

1988

Rehabilitated and renamed Charles Berry Bridge.

1989

The State of Ohio takes over funding of bridge.

Notes

The Charles Berry Bascule Bridge carries four lanes of traffic from Erie Avenue and US-6, and pedestrians, over the Black River to the Black River Landing and Transportation Center and the harbor area of Lorain. The roadway carries an average of 15,490 vehicles per day (2000), with 2 percent trucks. The roadway is about 40 feet above the Black River. The bridge has had as many as 2,500 openings per year in the past. The bridge opens on demand for commercial vessels. Pleasure boats must wait for the hour or half-hour for the bridge to open. There were 1,079 openings in 2004, fifty percent of which were for pleasure boats.

The Erie Avenue Bridge was built in the late 1930's and opened for traffic in the fall of 1940. At the time of its construction it was the largest Bascule Bridge in the world. It remained unchanged until major bridge rehabilitation was completed in 1988.

During the rehabilitation, the bridge's deck, lift motors, drive system, consoles, boilers, and lighting systems were all replaced. In addition a fire and security, including TV cameras and monitors, and an auxiliary generator were added. The Bridge was also repainted at this time. On Veterans Day in 1988 the bridge was renamed the Charles Berry Bridge in Honor of Charles Berry a Marine from Lorain who lost his life in the battle of Iwo Jima, and was awarded The Congressional Medal of Honor.

Excerpt from Wikipedia

The Charles Berry Bridge, in Lorain, Ohio along U.S. Route 6 (US 6), is the second-largest[ clarification needed] bascule bridge in the world. It was dedicated on Veterans Day in 1988. The bridge had been built in the late 1930s and in use for roughly 48 years before extensive rehabilitation was finished and the bridge was officially renamed in honor of Lorain native Charles J. Berry, a Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during a minor grenade battle on Iwo Jima.

During its construction, the Erie Avenue Bridge (as it was formerly called) was the largest bascule bridge in the world. and is now considered to be the second-largest.

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) agreed in 1989 to cover funding for the bridge which saves Lorain county nearly half a million US dollars per year. The Charles Berry Bridge is one of only three bridges in Ohio that the ODOT will currently fund.

The Charles Berry Bridge is one of the primary methods of transportation between the east and west of Lorain across Black River along with the Lofton Henderson Memorial Bridge which is also named after a native of Lorain who was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism at the historic Battle of Midway.

Text imported from Wikipedia article "Charles Berry Bridge" and modified on 23 July 2019 under the CC-BY-SA 3.0 license.

Participants

Currently there is no information available about persons or companies having participated in this project.

Relevant Web Sites

  • About this
    data sheet
  • Structure-ID
    20022714
  • Published on:
    28/08/2006
  • Last updated on:
    06/04/2021
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