Bolivia Road Bridge Explained

Bolivia Road Bridge
Nearest City:Bolivia, Illinois
Coordinates:39.7692°N -89.3456°W
Builder:Garrett, J.T.
Architecture:Parker Through Truss
Added:January 28, 2004
Area:less than one acre
Refnum:03001464

The Bolivia Road Bridge is a truss bridge near Bolivia, Illinois, which formerly carried Bolivia Road across the Sangamon River. The bridge's main span is a Parker through truss, and the structure also includes a pony truss and several I-beam trusses. Plans to construct the bridge began in 1900, when Lanesville Township's highway commissioner petitioned Sangamon County for funds for a bridge. Funding on the bridge ultimately came from a joint effort by Lanesville Township, Sangamon County, Christian County, and Christian County's Mount Auburn Township, as the latter two areas were connected to Sangamon County by the bridge. J.T. Garrett of St. Louis, Missouri built the bridge in 1901. A 1994 state bridge survey identified the bridge as one of seven remaining Parker through truss bridges in Illinois, one of which has since been demolished.[1]

The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 28, 2004. The bridge was listed on Landmarks Illinois' Ten Most Endangered Historic Places list in 2011.[2]

In the spring of 2015, a single-car accident prompted county officials to permanently close the bridge.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Bolivia Road Bridge . https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215215/http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/pdfs/223324.pdf . dead . October 4, 2013 . Moore . Karl . September 11, 2003 . October 2, 2013.
  2. Web site: Bolivia Road Bridge . 2011 Ten Most Endangered Historic Places . Landmarks Illinois . October 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131014065253/http://www.landmarks.org/ten_most_2011_bolivia_road_bridge.htm . 2013-10-14 . dead .
  3. Web site: Historic Bolivia Bridge in Sangamon County to remain closed due to crash.