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American Road Magazine
Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

Goodbye Middletown Bridge


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When I surveyed the Michigan Road in 2008, I found this 1903 stone-arch bridge on a one-lane original alignment of the road in southeastern Shelby County, Indiana. This sort of thing is just about the old-road holy grail.

 

2520167032_5444640eb7.jpgStone bridge, one-lane alignment by Jim Grey, on Flickr

 

Unfortunately, in 2013 one of the arches collapsed. Photo by Indiana Landmarks.

 

middletownbridge.jpg?w=926

 

To make a long story short, this doomed the bridge. Preservationists tried to save it, but the damage was simply greater than Shelby County could afford to deal with. When I drove by here last week, the bridge had been demolished.

 

20246832141_604a55e054.jpgSite of the former Middletown Bridge by Jim Grey, on Flickr

 

Comedic points go to whoever scratched the "1" off the weight limit sign.

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Love stone bridges ... sad to see another one gone. Appreciate the update, Jim.

 

I agree, tho ... definitely kudos to whoever adjusted the weight limit sign ... that is classic! ;)

 

 

Cort :) www.oldcarsstronghearts.com

1979 & 1989 Caprice Classics | pigValve, paceMaker, cowValve
"Everything is so messed up" __ Puddle of Mud __ 'Blurry'
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I can see closing an unsafe bridge. Though a bridge that old and unique should of been left to stand as a monument to itself. Because it could not function as a road way does not mean it stopped being able to add it's visual enrichment.

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Well, it was a safety hazard for overly curious lookie-loos -- I can see someone climbing out there past the barriers, and walking too far onto the deck and having it crumble below him, and then sue the county for damages.

 

Sad part of that, to me, anyway, is that, say 10-15 or more years ago, the end result (sue for damages) would most-likely not have entered many (if any) minds.....

 

 

Cort :) www.oldcarsstronghearts.com

1979 & 1989 Caprice Classics | pigValve, paceMaker, cowValve
"It's coming down to nothing more than apathy" __ The Fray __ 'Over My Head'
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