Salkehatchie Bridge, State Route No. 64 spanning Salkehatchie River, Barnwell

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER SC-33. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Salkehatchie Bridge is one of the earliest extant bridges built under the auspices of the South Carolina State Highway Commission. It is a representative example of a modular type of reinforced concrete bridge adopted by the South Carolina Highway Commission engineers in the early for construction of small concrete T-beam bridges. Report Prepared by: Mark T. Swanson, New South Associates Date: May SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 2 PART 1. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. CHRONOLOGY Federal Aid Road Act. States to provide matching funds and create appropriate highway agencies to oversee money and construction for road projects. Creation of South Carolina Highway Department, run by a five-member Highway Commission. Most roadwork was still done at county level.

Reorganization of SC State Highway Department. New seven-member Highway Commission elected Charles H. Moorefield as State Highway Engineer. Moorefield later known as "Father of the South Carolina State Highway System." Creation of specifications for State Highway Department roads, culverts, and bridges. Development of modular bridge concept. First Federal Aid Highway system in South Carolina, resulting from agreement between South Carolina Highway Department and Federal Bureau of Public Roads. New state route between Barnwell and Ellenton approved for inclusion into Federal Aid system. Route identified as Federal Aid Project No. 32. "Pay As You Go" State Highway Act. State Highway Department established as permanent agency, with authority to build and maintain comprehensive road system.

Construction begins on Barnwell-Ellenton Road (Federal Aid Project September 18. Road work done by Newell Contracting Company of Greenville, South Carolina. Same month, bridgework over Salkehatchie River awarded to W. G. Funderburk of Allendale, South Carolina. SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 3 Construction on Salkehatchie River bridge began July 9, and completed December 31. Work by Funderburk Construction Company. Barnwell-Ellenton Road completed, March 8. B. Introduction The Salkehatchie Bridge (S.C.Route a one-lane concrete T- beam structure constructed in carries Route 64 traffic over the Salkehatchie River approximately two miles west of the town of Barnwell in Barnwell County, South Carolina. Barnwell is the county seat of Barnwell County.

The crossing at this location consists of two separate but adjacent bridges. The bridge described in this report is the southern-most structure, now dedicated to eastbound traffic. Built in this bridge originally handled traffic going in both directions on S.C.Route 64. The two-lane northern-most bridge, which has no present historical significance and will not be treated further in this report was constructed in to handle westbound traffic. C. Historical Context The bridge spanning the Salkehatchie River at Route 64 is small and not visually impressive. It is, however, significant for reasons that have to do with its mode of construction.

It is one of the few remaining bridges from the that was built according to a modular plan, based on specifications that were standardized by the South Carolina Department of Transportation, then in its infancy. To place this bridge in its historical context, it is necessary to discuss the development of the modern highway systems that led to a proliferation of similar bridges in the throughout South Carolina. Good Roads Movement, Railroads provided the initial impetus for large-scale bridge building in the nineteenth century, but this was soon followed by the demand for bridges for vehicular traffic as well. This development was tied to the growing demand in the late for better roads that could augment the transportation net already SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No.

Page 4 provided by the nation's rail lines. Initially, this development was spurred not by the automobile, which was barely in its infancy, but by the bicycle, which had attained its modern form by the By the turn of the century, the bicycle was much more popular than it is today. In for example, it was estimated that at least residents of Columbia, South Carolina used them daily to commute to work. 1 At the national level, the "good roads" movement of the led to the first federal road act which dated to whereby Congress gave the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate road-building techniques. This provided funding for "object lesson" roads, where short stretches of roads were finished with local materials under federal supervision, to serve as a spur to local road construction.

The act also established the "Office of Public Road Inquiries." By this had become the Bureau of Public Roads. 2 Despite this beginning, systematic progress was slow, largely because road-building remained a prerogative of the counties that was jealously guarded throughout the nineteenth century and well into the twentieth. 3 By the however, this prerogative was under attack from all sides. Individual counties simply did not have the resources to maintain the sort of road networks demanded by the rapid rise of the automobile in the and The first consolidated school systems in the required the use of motorized buses, which created another demand for good all-weather roads.

4 Even more crucial was the emigration of many of South Carolina's rural poor, beginning in the as a result of bad harvests made worse by poor farm roads. 5 The were a period of transition in road building, as experiments were conducted to find the optimum surfacing and bridging materials. As a result, there was little standardization. Road materials used during this period included gravel, bituminous macadam, concrete pavement, oiled 1 John Hammond Moore, The South Carolina Highway Department, (Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, pp. 2 Ibid., p. 39. 3 Carolina Highways, April-May Anniversary, p. 5. 4 Manufacturers Record, 1 January "Relation of the Motorbus to Development of Consolidated Schools in the South," pp.

5 Walter Edgar, South Carolina: A History (Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, p. SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 5 earth, a "sand-clay" surface, and "top-soil." 6 In South Carolina, "top-soil" was a general term for local soils selected for the best "cementing" properties. 7 More specific and popular were the sand-clay surfaces, made by mixing sand, clay, and water. "Sand-clay" had been developed in South Carolina during the and was a local favorite for many years. 8 As for road bridges, the most common materials used were creosoted timber, steel, and concrete. 9 Of the three, concrete bridges were the most recent development.

Concrete and particularly reinforced concrete had established itself by the late as a useful building material; by the its cheapness, versatility, and longevity, made it one of the preferred materials for bridge construction. 10 Birth of South Carolina Department of Transportation, One of the lasting results of the Good Roads Movement was the first comprehensive federal law dealing with roads. Signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson in July of the Federal Aid Road Act provided funds for the improvement of "postal routes," and provided $75 million over a five-year period, to be divided among the states. In order to use this money, each state had to provide matching funds and coordinate construction plans through a state highway department.

Since South Carolina did not then have such an agency, this federal law provided the impetus for the state's first highway department, created in 11 At that time, the State Highway Department consisted of a five- member Highway Commission, whose mission was to coordinate 6 J. Roy Pennell, South Carolina State Highway Commission, Specifications, Contract and Bond, Edition of (Columbia: R. L. Bryan Co., General information from various issues of "Public Roads: A Journal of Highway Research" (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Public Roads, on file at South Carolina Department of Transportation Library; Annual Report of the South Carolina State Highway Commission to the General Assembly for the Fiscal Year Ending 31 December Table 3. 7 Moore, South Carolina Highway Department, p. 53.

8 Ibid., pp. 9 Pennell, South Carolina State Highway Commission, Specifications. 10 Elling and Witherspoon, Pre-1951 Non-Metal Truss Highway Bridges of South Carolina, pp. Georgia Department of Transportation and Georgia Department of Natural Resources Historic Bridge Survey, September 11 Moore, South Carolina Highway Department, pp. Carolina Highways, April-May pp. SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 6 county road construction, and study road building and maintenance in other states for application in South Carolina. Directly beneath the commission was the first State Highway Engineer, J. Roy Pennell. Under him were five subordinates: Chief of Construction, Chief of Surveys, Bridge Engineer, Chief Draftsman, and Chief of Automobile License Division.

As originally established, the highway department was not well funded, and it had limited authority. It could not build roads on its own and it did not control the roads once they were built. It was not even a permanent department. It was basically a conduit for federal money to reach the counties. 12 The situation was improved in with the passage of a new highway department law. The Highway Commission was reorganized into a seven-member body, which was commissioned to elect a state highway engineer. Even though the commission still had no direct control over roadways, it was authorized to establish a system of interconnected roads throughout the state. It was also put on a more secure financial footing, using motor vehicle license fees and a two-mill property tax.

13 This marked the true beginning of the state's highway program. Slowly, throughout the the State Highway Department was awarded increasing authority. Their authority over the state's bridges began prior to when the newly formed department was tasked with condition assessments for all toll bridges over 100 feet long. If a bridge was determined unsafe, it was repaired according to the specifications of the Department or closed. As the department developed, bridges became subject to the same regulations as highways and thus were treated as part of the state highway system14 By the end of the decade, it was accepted that the State Highway Department could construct roads and bridges in its own right.

15 The real powerhouse behind this new arrangement was the state highway engineer; the first one elected to this office on June 8, was Charles H. Moorefield. Moorefield was previously 12 Moore, South Carolina Highway Department, pp. Carolina Highways, April-May pp. 13 Annual Report of the State Highway Commission to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina for the Fiscal Year Ending 31 December p. 11; Report of the Committee for the Investigation of the State Highway Department, under Joint Resolution of the General Assembly of Approved April 19, (Columbia: R. L. Bryan Co., pp. Carolina Highways, April-May p. 9. 14 Moore, South Carolina Highway Department, 15 Moore, South Carolina Highway Department, pp. SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No.

Page 7 employed as district engineer for the Southern office of the Federal Bureau of Public Roads. He served as state highway engineer until earning the title of "the father of the state highway system. " 16 Among the key people who served under Moorefield during this period were N. S. Anderson, construction engineer; Joseph W. Barnwell, bridge engineer; and A. Harwell, maintenance engineer. 17 The Bridge Division, a group solely devoted to the design, construction, and repair of the state's highway bridges, was formed at this time. The highway department was further strengthened in by the creation of the Federal Aid Highway System, which was extended into South Carolina as a result of an agreement between the state and the Bureau of Public Roads.

This allowed for the creation of a federal aid road system comprised of an initial 3, 662 miles in South Carolina. 18 Matters improved again in with the passage of the "Pay As You Go" Act. This law formally established the South Carolina State highway system, and established the State Highway Department as a permanently funded agency. The Highway Department was also given the authority to enter into reimbursement agreements with individual counties. As a result of this act, the burden of financing the state's highway system was shifted from local governments to the state highway department . 19 Another improvement in was the creation of the Office of Chief Highway Commissioner.

This position was created to handle the political work of the department, and was approved by Charles Moorefield, as a means of freeing the rest of his staff to concentrate on the business of building roads and bridges. The first Chief Highway Commissioner was Samuel McGowan; a crusty retired Rear Admiral who refused to accept a salary. McGowan served for a little over a year, and was replaced in by Ben M. Sawyer, who had previously served as the 16 Carolina Highways, April-May pp. 17 South Carolina Highway Bulletin, volume III, no.11, November on file South Carolina Department of Archives and History. 18 Carolina Highways, April-May pp. Outline History of South Carolina Highway Department, (South Carolina State Highway Department, Public Relations, 19 Carolina Highways, April-May p.

11; Outline History of South Carolina Highway Department; Report of the Committee for the Investigation of the State Highway Department, p. 7; Annual Report of the State Highway Commission, Fiscal Year Ending 31 December p. 11. SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 8 department's secretary-treasurer. 20 It was under Sawyer and Moorefield that the State Highway Department made its greatest strides in the and Moorefield and Standardization, As noted, Charles H. Moorefield has been called the "Father of the South Carolina State highway system." One of his best known achievements was the development of low-cost pavements, such as sand-clay and top-soil bases. 21 Born on January 6, in Virginia, Moorefield began his professional career as a bridge and highway engineer with the U.S.

Bureau of Public Roads, from to During that time, he was also the author of a number of government bulletins dealing with road construction. 22 Moorefield left the department in when he returned briefly to the Bureau of Public Roads. He died the following year, on 28 April 23 Among the lesser-known achievements of Charles Moorefield, were advances in road and bridge standardization. In this respect, 2 Carolina Highways, April-May pp. 10, 15; Outline History of South Carolina Highway Department; Report of the Committee for the Investigation of the State Highway Department, pp. Moore, The South Carolina Highway Department, pp. 21 Carolina Highways, April-May p. 9; Moore, The South Carolina Highway Department, p. 56.

22 Walker Scott Utsey, Who's Who in South Carolina: A Standard Biographical Reference Book of South Carolina, (Columbia: Current Historical Association, pp. After consultations with Rich Rayburn, archivist at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Southeast Regional Office at East Point, Georgia, and with John Butler of NARA in Washington, it was determined that any bulletins from the Bureau of Public Roads from that time period, would be on file at NARA in Washington, (Records Group Publications of the U.S. Government, Charles Moorefield's personal papers were donated by his son, Charlie Moorefield, to the South Caroliniana Society, a sister institution to the South Caroliniana Library.

Sam Fore of the South Caroliniana Society kindly examined these papers, currently stored in the archive annex, and found nothing about bridge construction or modular design. Another possible source was the Transportation Research Board located in Washington, Jessica Fomalont of the TRB found a few titles by Charles Moorefield in the TRB collection, but they were not pertinent to bridge construction. She kindly performed a search in a database with access to library catalogs worldwide and found one interesting reference that is not located in the TRB collection: "Data for Use in Designing Culverts and Short-Span Bridges," Bulletin, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Public Roads, 39 pages (16 pages of plates), 23 Carolina Highways, April-May p. 10.

SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 9 Moorefield was assisted by the department's bridge engineers, Joseph W. Barnwell, Jr. and also Gooding. 24 Referred to as "Captain Joe Barnwell" by a contemporary, the Clemson-educated bridge engineer played a significant role in the Bridge Division. He is credited along with Moorefield with establishing "a fine tradition of bridge building in South Carolina" that eventually won the state national recognition. Barnwell began his career as a bridge engineer for the department but by the was employed as a private contractor engaged in bridge building. Gooding, a Citadel graduate, joined the Bridge Division in and remained with the Highway Department for forty-six years.

Notably, the two bridge engineering pioneers, Gooding and Barnwell, found themselves at odds with each other during the over construction issues. In one account, Barnwell as contractor questioned the Department's standards casting them as excessive. To which Gooding replied, "Damn it Joe, you wrote the green book of Department regulations for bridge building." 25 The main achievement of the state engineers in the area of highway bridge construction was the standardization of bridge design. This was something that had always been of interest to the department. As early as the very first highway engineer, J. Roy Pennell, created general specifications for highway bridges and culverts.

26 Moorefield, however, took this interest to a new level when he approved specifications for a modular-type bridge that used uniform spans of reinforced concrete T-beams, a type of bridge that was used extensively after World War I. 27 In South Carolina, general plans for this type of bridge were drawn up between and and were used in the construction of small bridges in soft-soil areas of the state throughout the 28 Beginning in the 24 Elling and Witherspoon, Study of Pre-1951 Non-Metal Truss Highway Bridges of South Carolina, p. 7; Annual Report of the State Highway Commission, Fiscal Year Ending 31 December p. 5. 25 Moore. The South Carolina Highway Department, 26 Pennell, South Carolina State Highway Commission, Specifications, p. 64. 27 J. Patrick Harshbarger and Mary E.

McCahon, "Strategies for Historic Evaluation of Standard Highway Bridges, Preserving the Recent Past 2, Editors: Deborah Slaton and William G. Foulks (Washington, National Park Service, Association for Preservation Technology International, pp. through 28 This is apparent from an examination of the plans for Federal Aid Project No. 32, the Barnwell-Ellenton Road, where the specifications for the basic forms for the bridge spanning the Salkehatchie River had clearly been formulated before the project itself had been conceived. The original plans SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 10 similar bridges were constructed using pre-cast concrete slabs, which became a construction standard after the Second World War. 29 Unlike the pre-cast version, the bridges of the were cast in place.

Only the plans and forms were modular. The bridge spanning the Salkehatchie River at U.S. 64 is one of the best examples of this type of bridge still extant in South Carolina. The details of its construction, along with those of the roadway itself, are discussed in greater detail below. The Barnwell-Ellenton Road Route 64) The modular bridge spanning the Salkehatchie River at Highway Route 64 is a feature of the highway more commonly known in the as the Barnwell-Ellenton Road. As now established, the 20 mile-long road between Barnwell and the former town of Ellenton, is not particularly old. In when the first South Carolina road map was published, this roadway did not exist.

Barnwell had a connection to Augusta and Williston to the north, Blackville to the east, and Allendale to the south, but did not have connections westward to the Savannah River. In fact, the main road that parallels the river (formerly South Carolina Route 28, now Route extending through what used to be Ellenton to Augusta also did not exist. 30 By when Barnwell had a population of there was still no road to the west. The only tie the town had to this area was an east-west rail line, the Atlantic Coast Line, that went from Barnwell through Snelling and Dunbarton, to Ellenton. 31 By the main road parallel to the Savannah River, Route 28, was in place, connecting Augusta in the north with Allendale in the south. The first map dated to that year does not show the Barnwell-Ellenton Road.

32 The one that follows shows the road as a dashed line, suggesting that while not completed, it was at are on file at the South Carolina Department of Transportation, Columbia, South Carolina. 29 Harshbarger and McCahon, "Strategies for Historic Evaluation of Standard Highway Bridges," pp. through 30 Official Map of South Carolina, Showing the Main Public Highways., Issued by the State Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Industries, E. J. Watson, Commissioner, 31 State Highway System of South Carolina, South Carolina State Highway Department, December 31, Original plans for Federal Aid Project No. 32, Sheet 1, 32 Condition Map of State Highway System of South Carolina, Showing Condition of State Roads as of March 3, State Highway Department. SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No.

Page 11 least contemplated. 33 The new road is shown as a solid line on a Federal Aid Highway System map, dated to later that same year. 34 The Barnwell-Ellenton Road appears on all subsequent maps of the local road system. 35 The state road maps are slightly misleading, for one would surmise from this cartographic evidence that the Barnwell- Ellenton Road was constructed in This was not the case. In that year, the route from Barnwell to Ellenton was approved for inclusion into the Federal Aid system, even though it was not yet built.

36 It appears that this project was put on a fast track, however, since the Highway Commission Program for this period was to create a connected system of improved roads as quickly as possible, giving priority to rapidly-constructed earth-type roads over more expensive paved ones. 37 The progress of planning and construction for the Barnwell- Ellenton Road can be traced in the minutes of the South Carolina State Highway Commission, which met monthly throughout this period. 38 At that time, most of the local roads that were being built were of the sand-clay variety.

It was in June of that the Commission put in a request for federal aid for two roads in Barnwell County: Sand Bar Ferry Road, at a cost of and the Barnwell-Ellenton Road, for The Barnwell-Ellenton Road project was approved the following month (July and was identified as Project No. 32, with an initial allotment of to get the project underway. That same month, it was recorded that the plans for the roadway were almost completely finalized. After the plans were finished in August of the state highway department put the project out 33 Condition Map of State Highway System of South Carolina, Showing Condition of State Roads as of December 1, State Highway Department.

34 Map Showing the Relation of the Federal Aid Highway System of South Carolina to the State Highway System of South Carolina, December 31, 35 Condition Map of State Highway System of South Carolina, showing Condition of State Roads as of December 6, State Highway Department; General Highway and Transportation Map, Barnwell County, South Carolina, Prepared by the South Carolina State Highway Department in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Public Roads. 36 Annual Report of the State Highway Commission, for Year Ending December 31, (Columbia: Gonzales and Bryan, State Printers, pp. 40 [Table 2]. 37 Annual Report of the State Highway Commission, for the Fiscal Year Ending 31 December p. 14.

38 The minutes of the South Carolina State Highway Commission meetings are on microfilm as ~DOT Minutes of Highways and Public Transportation Commission, at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 12 for bids. At that time, the roadway was tentatively identified as State Highway The price tag was an estimated to be paid by the State Highway Department and Federal Aid. By September of the financial arrangements had been worked out with Barnwell County, and the project had been let to two separate contractors. The roadwork was awarded to Newell Contracting Company of Greenville for and the bridgework was given to W. G.

Funderburk of Allendale for Charles Moorefield approved the plans and profiles for the Barnwell-Ellenton Road in with final revisions and relocations approved on March 11 By this time, the total length of the project was planned at miles. Most of the surfacing was to be done with sand-clay, with some surfaces to be graveled. It is noteworthy, however, that the basic features of these plans had been drawn up earlier. The plans stipulated that all workmanship and material was to conform to South Carolina State Highway Department specifications for roads, culverts, and bridges as compiled and revised in 39 Newell Construction Company began building the road on September 18, and had completed 15 percent by the end of the year.

By March of approximately 8.1 miles had been graded, with final surfacing done on about 1 mile. By the end of approximately 88 percent of the project had been completed, and all construction work was finished by March 8, Total expenditures for the roadwork came to of which Federal Aid paid 40 Relatively little is known about the Newell Contracting Company that built the Barnwell-Ellenton Road. In the City Directory for Greenville, South Carolina, Seba S. Newell is listed as a highway contractor, and owner of Newell Contracting Company. He and his wife, Josephine P., lived at E. North Street. As the Newells were solely identified in the general listing, and not in the classified business section, it is 39 This information taken from the original plans for Federal Aid Project No.

32, Sheet 1, on file at the South Carolina Department of Transportation. 40 South Carolina Highway Bulletin, April Annual Report of the State Highway Commission, for Fiscal Year Ending 31 December Table 7; Annual Report of the South Carolina State Highway Commission, for Fiscal Year Ending 31 December Table 3; Annual Report of the South Carolina State Highway Commission, for Fiscal Year Ending 31 December p. 12 (Tables 3 and 4). SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 13 likely that Newell had a relatively small operation at that time.

41 Four years later, however, the firm was larger, with a listing in the business section under "Contractors-Paving." The company also had its own address, at 412 Wallace 42 From an examination of the subsequent directories available at the South Caroliniana Library, it would appear that Newell Contracting was active through most of the but was no longer in business by the late 43 Route 64/Salkehatchie River Bridge There are at least five basic types of bridges: the arch, the simple beam, the suspension, the cantilever (a variant of the beam), and the truss (based on the inherent strength of the triangle).

The truss became common in the with the development of railroads and steel bridges, but all five types were understood and studied in the 44 In South Carolina, metal truss bridges were more common in the uplands, where bedrock foundations were available. Concrete, which was developed in its modern form in the late was also employed for bridges. In the uplands, the arch was the preferred form of concrete bridge. In the lowlands, where there was little or no bedrock, bridge weight had to be more dispersed, requiring a greater number of foundation supports. This led to the development of concrete T-Beam bridges.

This bridge type is defined as primarily simple-span, cast-in-place, rectangular beam reinforced concrete structures with integral monolithic flanking deck sections that could be used for spans of up to 50' in length. They employed upright support beams at regular intervals. 45 Reinforcing steel is placed longitudinally in the bottom of the beam stem while the deck reinforcement runs perpendicular to the stem. 46 41 Greenville, South Carolina, City Directory, 42 Greenville, South Carolina, City Directory, 43 Greenville, South Carolina, City Directory, 44 Wilbur J. Watson, Bridge Architecture, Containing Two-Hundred Illustrations of the Notable Bridges of the World, Ancient and Modern, with Descriptive, Historical, and Legendary Text (Cleveland: J. H. Jansen, pp.

45 Elling and Witherspoon, Study of Pre-1951 Non-Metal Truss Highway Bridges of South Carolina, p. 8; Georgia Department of Transportation and Georgia Department of Natural Resources Historic Bridge Survey, September p. 34. 46 Lichenstein and Associates, Updated Georgia Historic Bridges Survey, prepared for Georgia Department of Transportation, p. 11. SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 14 In the it was the custom to separate the work for roads and bridges. Each had their own surveys and plans, and each had separate contractors. In the highway department's annual reports, they are tallied separately. Not only were bridges more costly than roadways, they were also high-profile constructions.

A bridge failure was more costly and more dangerous than a washout on an open stretch of road. Despite these drawbacks, as roadways proliferated across the state in the so did bridges. Between and a total of 408 bridges, each over 20' in length, were built through the auspices of the State Highway Department. 47 The total completed in was 78, while the number finished in was 73. The number of bridges planned in came to 89. 48 The aggregate length of the bridges completed in came to over Most of these bridges were of creosoted timber, generally considered the cheapest material available and certainly useful when bridges had to be built quickly. A small minority of bridges was steel, which was the most expensive material but most durable, if the proper bedrock foundation was available.

In the middle range were reinforced concrete bridges. 49 In the long run, these would prove the most popular and versatile. One of the features that made concrete so popular was its flexibility that allowed bridge engineers to create standardized designs. The standard bridge design for a typical reinforced concrete T-beam bridge built for the South Carolina Highway Department is attributed to South Carolina Highway Department Bridge Engineer Joseph W. Barnwell, and an unidentified co- worker known only from his initials, The standardized design work was completed in November of revised in and approved by Charles Moorefield that same year.

50 The standard T-Beam bridge design, shown in drawing titled "Concrete Bridge Reinforced Beam Type on Concrete," was based on 47 Report of the Committee for the Investigation of the State Highway Department, p. 48. 48 Annual Report of the South Carolina State Highway Commission, for Fiscal Year Ending 31 December p. 11. 49 Ibid., p. 11. 50 Roberts, Cultural Resource Investigations for the South Carolina Rte. 64/Salkehatchie River Bridge Replacement; Federal Aid Project No. 32, Sheet 48, SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 15 a span of 22' . 51 The number of spans to be used on a given project was decided by the width of the stream the bridge would cross. The plans called for the use of uniform bridge sections, spans, beam details, and concrete railings.

52 The bridges following this standard form would be based on revised plans that incorporated project specific information. Thus, the quantities of building materials were estimated for a standard bent, a standard superstructure, or standard wings in data tables ("Steel Table" and "Estimated Quantities") given on the original plan or blueprint. The blueprint was reprinted with blank boxes set aside for project specific data. Thus the plans for the Route 64/Salkehatchie Bridge were printed with blank spaces that were filled in by the Highway Department's Bridge Engineer responsible for the proposed project's bridge specifications once the location was chosen.

Formulas in the Design Data enabled engineers to produce the specifications needed to adapt the standard plan to their project: For each complete bridge use quantities for (1 Bent+ Superstructure) x number of spans and then add 1 Bent, 4 Wings, and 2 End Rail Posts. If no piles are used subtract 0.5 cu yd of concrete from and add 4 A-bars (59 to quantities for 1 bent. Note that quantities are based on a max. height of bent above top of footing= For each 1" height less than subtract quantities for 1' length of two pots. Also observe that length of B-bars is variable and that number of C-bars changes with difference in height. Bridge materials were also to be uniform.

The generalized bridge plans of called for all the concrete in the bridge itself to be comprised of one part Portland Cement, two parts sand, and four parts broken stone, to 1 and in size. 51 South Carolina State Highway Department, "Concrete Bridge, Reinforced Beam Type on Concrete, South Carolina State Highway Department, Columbia, South Carolina." The statement of responsibility reads: "Designed by J. W. B. and W. November 2, drawn by W. and B., November 5, traced by B., November 12, checked by W. and B., November 17, revised by B., April 10, revised October 16, final date, April 17, On file at South Carolina Department of Transportation. 52 Federal Aid Project No. 32, Sheet 48, SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No.

Page 16 All concrete in the guardrails was to be a mixture of respectively, with the broken stone to be no larger than in size. All reinforcing steel was to be "deformed" bars with all bends made cold. Footings were to be carried down to firm foundation, as directed by the engineer in charge; the piles below the footings were to have a minimum penetration of With these specifications, it was expected that the bridge would support the weight of two 15-ton trucks. See Appendix for full transcription of tabular information and design data. Based on these modular plans, the specific details for the bridge that spanned the Salkehatchie River at U.S.

Rte 64 were adopted on July with final revisions dated to February 14, The final as-built plans called for a bridge that consisted of seven spans, each span 22' long, for a total bridge length of When completed, the final bridge grade would be 175'sea level. The bridgework over the Salkehatchie River was awarded to Funderburk Construction Company in September of By the end of that year, the planning, an estimated two- percent of the project had been completed. Money allocated for the bridge in came to a mere 53 Construction of the bridge did not begin until July 9, and was completed that same year, on December 31, Total expenditures for that year came to and of this total, federal aid contributed $ 7 , 5 2 3 .

7 3 54 Relatively little is known about Funderburk Construction Company, except that it was owned and operated by W. G. Funderburk of Allendale, South Carolina. The major bridge contractors active in South Carolina at this time were firms like Carolina Bridge Co. of Columbia; L.A. Mullins of Atlanta, Converse Bridge Co. of Chattanooga; Carolina Concrete Co. of Greensboro, North Carolina; H. S. Jordan Engineering of Savannah; and J. R. Lawrence of Greenville, South Carolina, among others. 55 Funderburk was not in this class. The Salkehatchie River Bridge, however, was not a major construction compared to others being built at this time, and was certainly 53 Annual Report of the State Highway Commission, for Fiscal Year Ending 31 December Table 11.

54 Annual Report of the State Highway Commission, for Fiscal Year Ending 31 December Tables 6 and 7. 55 Elling and Witherspoon, Study of Pre-1951 Non-Metal Truss Highway Bridges of South Carolina, p. 34. SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 17 within the scope of a small firm. The use of standardized materials and forms would have made such a job easier for a small company, and the State Highway Department certainly tried to award such contracts to South Carolina firms, whenever possible.

The road was exposed to heavy traffic during the construction of the Atomic Energy Commission's (predecessor agency to the Department of Energy) Savannah River Plant in the early to mid- when almost construction workers were employed to build the nuclear facility in Prior to that, the road was not heavily traveled. After the construction phase of the Savannah River Plant (now Savannah River Site), Route 64 received even less traffic as the establishment of the federal installation removed both Ellenton and Dunbarton at the western end of Route 64 from existence. Also, the requirements of plant security virtually ended the use of the western half of the route as a public thoroughfare.

During this period of intensive use, the highway was widened to a four-lane road, with a median separating the eastbound and westbound lanes. A new two-lane concrete bridge was constructed immediately north of the old bridge to handle the westbound lanes in while the old bridge was left to serve what were now the two eastbound lanes. It was probably about that time that there was an attempt to modernize the old bridge by repainting it with two lanes. As a result of an accident in the bridge reverted back to a one-lane conveyance. 56 Now long past its prime in an era of freeways and high-speed traffic, the bridge is scheduled for demolition and replacement. PART II. BRIDGE DESCRIPTION A. General Statement The Route 64/Salkehatchie Bridge is a single lane, T-beam vehicular bridge.

The bridge's setting is rural; it is part of U.S. Route 64 and its orientation is east to west. The Salkehatchie River at this location is narrow, resembling a stream rather than a river. Wood pilings under the current bridge are in place, remnants of a previous bridge. 56 Personal communication from Wayne Roberts, South Carolina Department of Transportation, SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 18 In a second concrete T-Beam bridge was placed parallel to the original bridge. This occurred when Route 64 was widened and the additional bridge was added to carry traffic in an eastward direction and the original bridge was devoted to westbound traffic. B.

Physical Description The bridge is long and 18' wide, and consists of seven reinforced concrete spans, each with a length of Each span or slab was cast-in-place and the impress of the wood forms is preserved on the underside of each span. A elastitite joint was allowed between each of the slabs. The bridge's substructure consists of six pairs of reinforced concrete bents (two posts on footings and a cap beam) that support the bridge's seven spans. River water flows under the two most central spans. Each bent has a maximum height of 21' and a width of 19' The two central bents were sunk to a depth of below sea level; the remainder to below sea level. Spread footings were used on all bents, adding strength and stability.

57 A seventh support located on the west-end of the bridge is embedded in the embankment. Earthen embankments covered with granite rubble support the bridge approaches and connect the bridge to the highway. The bridge's deck is concrete overlain by asphalt. The guardrail is concrete with two parallel rails and twenty-one vertical concrete posts in width, 2' in height). All of the edges are chamfered. Twenty-three circular drain holes are located on the bridge deck along the sidewalls. The only alteration to the bridge appears to be the replacement of segments of the original guardrail that were damaged in a highway accident. In recent years, the bridge was "divided" into two lanes. As a result of an accident in the bridge was repainted to its original single-lane configuration.

Four segments of the original guardrail also had to be replaced as a result of the accident, but were designed to match the older material. 58 57Federal Aid Project No. 32, Sheets 8 and 47, 58Wayne Roberts, South Carolina Statewide Survey Site Form, State Historic Preservation Office, Site Barnwell County, October 19, Blanche S. Sproul, Letter request for proposal from Blanche S. Sproul, SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 19 PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION A. Engineering Drawings and Plans: One hundred seventeen sheets containing original plans for Federal Aid Project No. 32 were located at South Carolina's Department of Transportation's Columbia office. Only Sheets 47 and 48 of the series provided specific information about the study bridge.

Sheet 48 is titled "Concrete Bridge, Reinforced Beam Type on Concrete, South Carolina State Highway Department, Columbia, South Carolina." The statement of responsibility reads: "Designed by J. W. B. and W. C. R., November 2, drawn by W. and B., November 5, traced by H. November 12, checked by W. and B., November 17, revised by B., April 10, revised October 16, final date, April 17, Sheet 48 shows the standard design used in the Salkehatchie Bridge and has specific data on the amounts of materials used in the bridge's construction. A photocopy was made of this drawing which is in poor condition with text missing or illegible text along the edges of the drawing. The retrievable text and tables have been transcribed from the drawing and are presented in the Appendix.

Sheet 47 contains a profile of the proposed Salkehatchie Bridge showing its seven spans. Also shown is a proposed bridge design over Lower Three Runs Creek that was superceded by a later design. The sheet is titled, "Federal Aid Project No. 32, Sheet 47. Plan for Bridge over Salkehatchie River. Bridges on Federal Aid Project No. 32, Barnwell County, July 30, revised February 14, This bridge profile of the S.C.64/Salkehatchie Bridge was scanned from this plan and is shown in the Appendix. A. Early Views and Historical Data: No historic views of the Salkehatchie Bridge were identified. A search was made through the historic photograph collection at South Carolina Department of Transportation and at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

Primary and secondary research was conducted at Georgia Institute of Technology, College of Architecture Library; Georgia Institute of Technology Library; South Carolina Department of Archives and History; South Carolina Department of Environmental Manager, South Carolina Department of Transportation, to Dr. J. W. Joseph, New South Associates, November 14, SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No.

Page 20 Transportation; South Carolina Department of Transportation Library; South Carolina State Library; South Caroliniana Library; University of South Carolina; Columbia; South Caroliniana Society; University of South Carolina; Columbia, and the Transportation Research Board in Washington, DC Annual Reports of the State Highway Commission on deposit at the South Carolina Department of Transportation Library were useful. City directories for Greenville and local and state maps were found at the South Caroliniana Library. South Carolina Department of Transportation's Columbia office houses the original plans of the bridge along with inspection reports.

South Carolina's Department of Archives and History was the source for data on the State Highway Department, maps, and information on the bridge's fabricators. Additional secondary research on concrete bridge technology was carried out at Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of South Carolina. B. Interviews: Telephone contact was made with Charles H. Moorefield's son, Charlie Moorefield (81 years old) in March and May of Moorefield did not personally know that much about his father's work (he was 16 when his father died), and years ago he donated his father's papers to the South Caroliniana Society. Moorefield mentioned that Maurice Dickson Moseley, who was a bridge engineer for the state, might have more information from that time period, but Mr.

Moseley is now living in a rest home and was not able to provide much assistance. C. Bibliography Annual Report of the State Highway Commission to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina for the Year Ending December 31, Columbia, SC: Gonzales and Bryan, On file, South Carolina Department of Transportation Library. Annual Report of the State Highway Commission to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina for the Fiscal Year Ending 31 December In Reports of State Officers, Boards, and Committees to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, Regular Session Commencing January 13, Vol. II. On file, South Caroliniana Library. SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No.

Page 21 Annual Report of the South Carolina State Highway Commission to the General Assembly for the Fiscal Year Ending 31 December In Reports of State Officers, Boards, and Committees to the General Assembly of the state of South Carolina, Regular Session Commencing January 12, Vol. II. On file, South Caroliniana Library. Annual Report of the South Carolina State Highway Commission to the General Assembly for the Fiscal Year Ending 31 December In Reports of State Officers, Boards, and Committees to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, Regular Session Commencing January 11, Vol. II. On file, South Caroliniana Library. Carolina Highways, April-May Anniversary. On file, South Carolina Department of Transportation Library.

Condition Map of State Highway System of South Carolina, Showing Condition of State Roads as of March 3, State Highway Department. On file, South Caroliniana Library. Condition Map of State Highway System of South Carolina, showing Condition of State Roads as of December 1, State Highway Department. On file, South Caroliniana Library. Condition Map of State Highway System of South Carolina, showing Condition of State Roads as of December 6, State Highway Department. On file, South Caroliniana Library. Edgar, Walter. South Carolina: A History. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, Elling, Rudolph E., and Gayland B. Witherspoon. A Study of Pre- Non-Metal Truss Highway Bridges of South Carolina. Prepared by Dr. Rudolph E.

Elling, P.E., Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, and Professor Gayland B. Witherspoon, F.A.I.A, Department of Architectural Studies, College of Architecture, Clemson University, Assisted by Dr. Linda K. Varkounda, Research Consultant, for South Carolina Department of Highways and Public Transportation, June Federal Aid Project No. 32, Sheet 1. Plan and Profile of Proposed State Highway from Barnwell Westly to Survey Station Point Near Ellenton. State of South Carolina, State Highway Department. Federal Aid Project No. 32, Sheet 1 (total SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 22 sheets, Barnwell, South Carolina, Federal Road District 8. Approved, Charles H.

Moorefield, State Highway Engineer, August 9, relocation details approved, March 11, On file, South Carolina Department of Transportation. Federal Aid Project No. 32, Sheet 8. Blueprint of Road and Bridge Grades in Vicinity of Salkehatchie River. Fiscal Year On file, South Carolina Department of Transportation. Federal Aid Project No. 32, Sheet 47. Plan for Bridge over Salkehatchie River. Bridges on Federal Aid Project No. 32, Barnwell County, July 30, revised February 14, On file, South Carolina Department of Transportation. Federal Aid Project No. 32, Sheet 48. Concrete Bridge, Reinforced Beam Type on Concrete, South Carolina State Highway Department, Columbia, South Carolina. Designed by J. W. B. and W. November 2, drawn by W. and H. November 5, traced by B., November 12, checked by W.

and B., November 17, revised by B., April 10, revised October 16, final date, April 17, On file, South Carolina Department of Transportation. Georgia Department of Transportation and Georgia Department of Natural Resources Historic Bridge Survey, September Manuscript on file, Georgia Department of Transportation. General Highway and Transportation Map, Barnwell County, South Carolina. Prepared by the South Carolina Highway Department in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Public Roads, Greenville, South Carolina, City Directory, On file, South Caroliniana Library. Greenville, South Carolina, City Directory, On file, South Caroliniana Library. Greenville, South Carolina, City Directory, On file, South Caroliniana Library.

Greenville, South Carolina, City Directory, On file, South Caroliniana Library. SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 23 Harshbarger, J. Patrick, and Mary E. McCahon. "Strategies for Historic Evaluation of Standard Highway Bridges, Preserving the Recent Past 2, pp. through Editors: Deborah Slaton, William G. Foulks. Washington, DC: Historic Preservation Education Foundation, National Park Service, Association for Preservation Technology International, Outline History of South Carolina Highway Department, South Carolina State Highway Department, Public Relations. On file, South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Manufacturers Record, 1 January "Relation of the Motorbus to Development of Consolidated Schools in the South," pp. On file, Georgia Institute of Technology Library.

Map Showing the Relation of the Federal Aid Highway System of South Carolina to the State Highway System of South Carolina, December 31, On file, South Caroliniana Library. Moore, John Hammond. The South Carolina Highway Department, Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, Official Map Showing the Main Public Highways. Issued by State Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Industries, E. J. Watson, Commissioner, On file, South Caroliniana Library. Pennell, J. Roy. South Carolina State Highway Commission, Specifications, Contract and Bond, Edition of J. Roy Pennell, State Highway Engineer. Columbia: R. L. Bryan Co., On file, South Caroliniana Library.

Report of the Committee for the Investigation of the State Highway Department, under Joint Resolution of the General Assembly of approved April 19, Columbia: R. L. Bryan Co., On file, South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Roberts, Wayne D. South Carolina Statewide Survey Site Form, State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), Site Barnwell County, October 19, Roberts, Wayne D. Cultural Resource Investigations for the South Carolina Route 64/Salkehatchie River Bridge Replacement. Archaeological Field Report, South Carolina Department of SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 24 Transportation Environmental Section, F.A. No. PIN23734,September 26 and October 19, Sproul, Blanche S. Letter request for proposal from Blanche S.

Sproul, Environmental Manager, South Carolina Department of Transportation, to Dr. J. W. Joseph, New South Associates, 14 November South Carolina Highway Bulletin, November On file, South Carolina Department of Archives and History. South Carolina Highway Bulletin, April On file, South Carolina Department of Archives and History. State Highway System of South Carolina. South Carolina State Highway Department, December 31, (first official state highway system map) On file, South Carolina Department of Transportation. Utsey, Walker Scott. Who's Who in South Carolina: A Standard Biographical Reference Book of South Carolina, Columbia: Current Historical Association, Watson, Wilbur J.

Bridge Architecture, Containing Two-hundred Illustrations of the Notable Bridges of the world, Ancient and Modern, with Descriptive, Historical, and Legendary Text. Cleveland: J. H. Jansen, Who's Who in South Carolina: A Dictionary of Contemporaries Containing Biographical Notices of Eminent Men in South Carolina. Columbia: Mccaw, PART IV. PROJECT INFORMATION Due to the age and limited load-bearing capacity of this bridge, South Carolina Department of Transportation has determined that the S.C Route 64/Salkehatchie Bridge is functionally obsolete and plans are in development for its removal and replacement.

The bridge was considered significant in the field of engineering as an early example of standardized design and for its association with South Carolina's Highway Department's pioneers, Charles Moorefield and Joseph W. Barnwell, Jr. New South Associates entered into an agreement with South Carolina SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 25 Department of Transportation to document the bridge prior to its replacement. SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 26 Appendix - Design Tables and Bridge Profile Tables and Design Data transcribed from South Carolina State Highway Department's Standard Concrete Bridge Plan for T-Beam Bridge STEEL TABLE - ONE BENT Mark No.

Size Length Location A 12 111 5 -6 I II Footing B 12 7/ 8II 22 -6 11 1 Posts C 28 3 /8 11 II D 4 7 /8 11 5 -6 I II Beam E 4 7 /8 11 4 -6 11 1 II F 2 1 l/8 11 11 II G 2 1 l/8 11 23 -3 I II II H 2 7/8 21 -4 11 1 II I 20 1/2 7 -0 I II II J 12 7 /8 11 2 -8 I II II STEEL TABLE -

One Superstructure

Mark No. Size Length Location K 4 1 1/4 11 Illegible L 4 1 1/4 11 23 -8 11 I Illegible M 2 1 1/4 11 23 -8 11 1 Illegible N 56 1/2 II 7 -2" I Illegible 0 4 1 1/2 11 11 Ext. p 7 1 l/8 11 11 II Q 40 1/2 11 5 9 11 I II R 19 1/2 II 21' -9 11 Slab s 40 1/2 II 6 11 Slab T 18 1/2 11 11 Slab u 8 1/2 11 2 -0 I II Dowels V 48 1/2 II 7 -0 I II Rails w 24 1/2 11 Rail Posts STEEL TABLE - WINGS Mark No. Size Length Location X 8 1/2 II 4 -6 I II Wings SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 27

Estimated Quantities

Location Item Quantity One Bent Cone. "A" cu yd Steel lb One Superstructure Cone. "A" cu yd Steel lb Conc.1:3 (Rail) .62 cu yd Paving 44 sq yd Two Wings Cone. "A" 0.7 cu yd Steel 15 lb Two End Posts Cone. "A" 0.2 cu yd Steel 25 lb Posts per lin. ft. Cone. "A" cu yd Steel lb

Total Quantities for Bridge

Concrete "A" cu yd Steel lb Paving 306 sq yds Wet Exe. 110 cu yds Dry Exe. 100 cu yds Piling lin ft STATION - DATE County Barnwell Project 32 I Spans Total length of bridge c. to c. end bents Special Note: Contractor shall clear right-of-way 75' on either side of it. Underlined figures represent the specifications unique to Route 64/Salkehatchie Bridge that were placed in blank boxes on the standard bridge plan (see SALKEHATCHIE BRIDGE ROUTE 64) HAER No. Page 28 Notes: All concrete in Bridge shall consist of Portland cement 2 parts of sharp, clean sand, and 4 parts of broken stone, to 1 in size. All concrete in Rails shall consist of a mixture. max. aggr. All forms must be so constructed and braced as to be held rigidly in place, line, and elevation.

All forms shall be built of sized and dressed lumber. All exposed surfaces shall be brought to a smooth, neat finish by rubbing with a carborundum brick, or a block of wood and sand while concrete is green. The top surfaces slall be tamped and troweled so as to provide a smooth finish, free from pits and porous places. Exposed surfaces to be chamfered 1" except where otherwise shown. Footings shall be carried down to a firm bearing as directed by the Engineer, or modified at his desire. All reinforcing steel to be deformed bars. Square, twisted bars not considered deformed. All bends to be made cold. Minimum penetration of piles to be 10 ft. Bearing on Spread Footing= 1.6 tons per square foot.

Design Data

Concentrated Load - 2 - 15 ton typical truck Impact Allowance - 25% Steel in Tension - lbs per sq. in. Concrete in Compression - 650 lbs per sq. in. Note: For each complete bridge use quantities for (1 Bent+ Superstructure) x number of spans and then add 1 Bent, 4 Wings, and 2 End Rail Posts. If no piles are used subtract 0.5 cu yd of concrete from and add 4 A-bars (59 to quantities for 1 bent. Note that quantities are based on a max. height of bent above top of footing=21'-0". For each 1" height less than subtract quantities for 1' length of two pots. Also observe that length of B-bars is variable and that number of C-bars changes with difference in height.

Source: "Concrete Bridge, Reinforced Beam Type on Concrete, South Carolina State Highway Department, Columbia, South Carolina." The statement of responsibility reads: "Designed by J. W. B. and W. C. R., November 2, drawn by W. and B., November 5, traced by B., November 12, checked by W. and B., November 17, revised by B., April 10, revised October 16, final date, April 17, (see ll H.W 17z.o I-kl _2 2 '\J .iJ 2 2'. 0 ., -2.2.~.a"__ !; -. 'El~~ os=ru l I tJ, nt G i1 d f 11 'ii 11 '.J l 11 :! 11 i1 !l t-1 !I (/) II II ~ t'i ~ Profile of Route 64/Salkehatchie Bridge ! 0 ::i:: H Source: Detail from 0 South Carolina State Highway Department, "Bridges on F.A. Project No.

32, Barnwell County, July 30, Revised b:J :;i:J H tJ G) ::i:: (/) ~- 0 :;i:J z0 0:;i:J tu C: Pl 8 tQ (/) (D 0 I O't l:v w iJ::,. I.Ow -