Broad Avenue Memorial Bridge, Spanning the Flint River at Broad Avenue, Albany

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER GA-160. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Broad Avenue Memorial Bridge is the fourth bridge to be constructed at this crossing site since The bridge is significant in the areas of engineering, transportation, and local history. The bridge is a rare example of a complete open spandrel arch bridge dating to the early days of concrete bridge construction in the state of Georgia. Replacing a smaller and inadequate bridge at its location in downtown Albany in this ''permanent" concrete bridge has made a significant contribution to the development of Albany and East Albany. The bridge is also significant as a war memorial dedicated to the local veterans of the First World War. The bridge possesses most of its original building materials and its original design and is a character defining feature of downtown Albany.

The bridge was determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in Report Prepared By: Grant D. Hudson Historian Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. Winchester Parkway Suite 200 Atlanta, Georgia Date: April BROAD AVENUE MEMORIAL BRIDGE HAERNo. GA-160 (Page 2) Introduction The Broad Avenue Memorial Bridge spans the Flint River in downtown Albany, Dougherty County. The bridge is a rare example of a complete open spandrel arch bridge dating to the early days of concrete bridge construction in the state of Georgia. The bridge is also significant as a war memorial dedicated to the local veterans of the First World War. The city of Albany was founded on the banks of the Flint River in by the land speculator and merchant Nelson Tift.

1 As the city grew, Tift opened a public ferry crossing the Flint River in The first bridge to cross the Flint River at this location was constructed by Tift in This bridge had a different alignment from the current bridge crossing the river at an angle and connected the Bridge House on the west bank to Isabella Road on the east bank. This bridge burned down several years after it was built.3 A second bridge was built at this location on the same alignment as the first. 1bis bridge was destroyed by a flood in 4 By ca. a third bridge was located at the crossing. This bridge is shown on a Sanborn Fire Insurance Map but is not yet extant on an Sanborn Fire Insurance Map. 5 The ca.

bridge is extant on the plan sheets for the current bridge and is shown running parallel to the current bridge directly to the north. 6 This bridge was considered insufficient for motor vehicle traffic. An Ordinance of the City Council dated September 9, prohibited any motor vehicles weighing over five tons from traveling over the bridge. 7 In the City of Albany appointed a committee to look into the construction of a modern, permanent concrete bridge crossing the Flint River at Broad A venue. The committee also 1 Lee W.

Formwalt, "Albany," The New Georgia Encyclopedia, (October 2 Supreme Court of Georgia, September Term 3 National Register of Historic Places, The Bridge House, Albany, Dougherty County, Georgia, National Register 4 "Albany, Jan, 15, In Nelson Tift had Horace King Build this bridge across the Flint River. In Tift sold the bridge to Dougherty County.

When the Flint overflowed its banks during a flood in the bridge was destroyed.," Vanishing Georgia, Georgia Archives, Office ofSecretary ofState, 7 October "Albany, GA (Dougherty Cowity)," Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for Georgia Towns and Cities, (October 6 Highway Department of Georgia, "Plan and Profile of Proposed State Highway Federal Aid Project, Dougherty County Bridge over Flint River at Albany, GA," 7 City of Albany, "An ordinance entitled, An ordinance to prohibit motor trucks, tractors, and other vehicles weighing, with any load thereon, as much as five tons, to pass on, upon or across the present county bridge over Flint River in the city of Albany, and.

two trucks, tractors or other vehicles, when loaded with any load thereon, weighing together as much as five tons, to pass each other in crossing said bridge, and for other purposes." September 9, BROAD AVENUE MEMORIAL BRIDGE HAER No. GA-160 (Page 3) suggested that the new bridge be a memorial structure to the local veterans of the First World War. At this time, the federal government would match the dollar amount spent by local governments on permanent bridges and roadways. 8 The bridge was eligible for these federal funds and is labeled "Federal Aid Project No. 81" on one ofits construction plaques. 9 The bridge was designed by the engineering firm of Garrett & Slack.

10 At this same time period Garrett & Slack were also contracted to design four concrete bridges in Pulaski County11 and the Fourteenth Street Bridge in Columbus, Georgia. 12 The bridge currently located at the crossing of County Road 1297/Broad Avenue at Flint River is Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) Bridge and was constructed in as a memorial bridge for veterans of the First World War. This bridge has a different alignment than the first two previous bridges crossing straight across the Flint River connecting directly to CR 1297/Broad Avenue on the west bank of the river and extending across the river to the east bank. Background The Broad Avenue Memorial Bridge (Georgia DOT Bridge is an open spandrel arch bridge of poured concrete construction.

The bridge has eleven spans, is long, and has a width of All of the spans have a concrete deck and overlay. The bridge is intact but has deteriorated and is no longer safe. The bridge is located in downtown Albany, Georgia which consists mainly in this area of a mix of commercial, institutional, and light industrial development dating from the late nineteenth to the mid twentieth centuries. Replacing a smaller and inadequate bridge at this location, the Broad Avenue Memorial Bridge has made a significant contribution to the economic development of Albany and East Albany. The bridge is considered a character-defining feature of downtown Albany, Georgia. 13 According to the Bridge Survey Report and Management Plan prepared for the existing bridge in it has preservation potential.

Rehabilitation of the existing bridge was fully evaluated by the Georgia DOT as this project was initially a rehabilitation project. In the first attempt at a bridge rehabilitation project was advertised by Georgia DOT. No bids were submitted.

In a second attempt at a bridge rehabilitation project was proposed and a design contract was 8 "Concrete Bridge and some Paving Suggestion Made," the Albany Herald, March 4, 9 Highway Department of Georgia, Construction Plaque, Broad Avenue Memorial Bridge, 10 Ibid 11 "Program of Pulaski County's Pennanent Bridge Construction," Pulaski County GaArchives History, (January 12 "Historic American Buildings Survey, Engineering Record, Landscapes Survey," Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog, (January 13 Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia Historic Bridge Survey, Atlanta, Georgia, BROAD AVENUE MEMORIAL BRIDGE HAERNo. GA-160 (Page 4) awarded. During the plan preparation phase, it was discovered that the existing bridge foundation needed to be rehabilitated.

During follow-up underwater inspections in it was determined that the existing bridge foundation had deteriorated and could no longer safely handle traffic. The bridge was subsequently closed to traffic and pedestrians in February Because of the extent of deterioration, it was determined that bridge rehabilitation is not feasible and that the bridge shall be tom down and replaced with a new bridge. 14 14 Georgia Department of Transportation, Project Fact Sheet, Georgia DOT Project Dougherty County, Georgia. BROAD AVENUE MEMORIAL BRIDGE HAER No.

GA-160 (Page 5) Bibliography The Albany Herald Concrete Bridge and some Paving Suggestions Made City of Albany Ordinance to prohibit motor trucks, tractors, and other vehicles weighing, with any load thereon, as much as five tons, to pass on, upon or across the present county bridge over Flint River in the city of Albany, and. two trucks, tractors or other vehicles, when loaded with any load thereon, weighing together as much as five tons, to pass each other in crossing said bridge, and for other purposes Form.walt, Lee W. Albany. The New Georgia Encyclopedia available on line at Georgia Department of Transportation Historic Bridge Survey.

Atlanta Georgia Department of Transportation Project Fact Sheet, Georgia DOT Project Dougherty County, Georgia Highway Department of Georgia Construction Plaque, Broad Avenue Memorial Bridge Highway Department of Georgia Plan and Profile of Proposed State Highway Federal Aid Project, Dougherty County Bridge over Flint River at Albany, Georgia Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog Available on line at Pulaski County GaArchives History Available on line at txt BROAD AVENUE MEMORIAL BRIDGE HAER No. GA-160 (Page 6) National Register of Historic Places The Bridge House, Albany, Dougherty County, Georgia, National Register Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps Available on line at Supreme Court of Georgia September Term Thronateeska Heritage Foundation, Inc. Var. Dates.

Historic Postcards. Available at Thronateeska Heritage Foundation, Inc., Albany, Georgia University of Georgia Vanishing Georgia Collection, available on line at homeframe default.htmland BROAD AVENUE MEMORIAL BRIDGE HAER No. GA-160 (Page 7) ' .. .. \\ . '\ .: . ' "' - .. J; ' Location Map Broad Avenue Memorial Bridge (Georgia DOT Bridge No. over the Flint River Source: Albany West, GA Quadrangle USGS Series (Topographic) Dougherty County (Photorevised Mapped, edited, and published by the United States Geological Survey 0 250 500 Feet BROAD AVENUE MEMORIAL BRIDGE HAER No. GA-160 (Page 8) Postcard of bridge located at Broad Avenue ca. (courtesy of the Thronateeska Heritage Foundation, Inc.) ca.

Postcard of the Broad Avenue Memorial Bridge (courtesy of the Thronateeska Heritage Foundation, Inc.) BROAD AVENUE MEMORIAL BRIDGE HAER No. GA-160 (P a ge 9 ) ,.J ' ' L.. . ( .-, ' _(, ca. Postcard of the Broad Avenue Memorial Bridge (courtesy of the Thronateeska Heritage Foundation, Inc.)