Cut River Bridge

Heath M. Robinson Memorial Cut River Bridge
The Cut River Bridge is a cantilevered steel deck bridge
Coordinates 46°02′42″N 85°07′31″W / 46.044986°N 85.125206°W / 46.044986; -85.125206Coordinates: 46°02′42″N 85°07′31″W / 46.044986°N 85.125206°W / 46.044986; -85.125206
Carries US 2
Pedestrians, automobiles, trucks
Crosses Cut River
ID number 49149023000B010
Characteristics
Design steel deck cantilever bridge
Material Iron, structural steel, prestressed concrete
Total length 641 feet (195 m)
History
Constructed by W.J. Meager and Sons, Contractors
Construction start 1941
Construction end 1947
Opened 1947

Cut River Bridge is a cantilevered steel deck bridge over the Cut River in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located along U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) in Hendricks Township, Mackinac County,[1] between Epoufette and Brevort, about 25 miles (40 km) northwest of St. Ignace and the Straits of Mackinac. There is a long but not often traversed wooden staircase to the valley below that was constructed some time after the construction of the bridge itself.

The bridge was built in 1947 and is one of only two cantilevered deck truss bridges in Michigan, it is 641 feet (195 m) long and contains 888 short tons (793 long tons; 806 t) of structural steel. The bridge carries traffic on US 2 above and spans the Cut River Valley, 147 feet (45 m) below.

History

Centerline

The State Highway Department designed this structure, and W.J. Meager and Sons, Contractors, built it. Actual construction began in 1941. Due to the demand for steel during World War II, construction on the bridge was halted until after the war.

Legislation passed in 2014 by the Michigan Legislature named the bridge after Heath Michael Robinson, a fallen member of the Navy SEALs who was killed on August 6, 2011 in Wardak, Afghanistan when their Chinook helicopter came under fire.[2][3][4]

Construction

The bridge is a steel deck cantilever bridge. The structure has extensive latticing on its members, which are all very massive. The bridge retains original standard-plan metal guardrails on the sidewalks that flank the roadway on each side.

MDOT Sign at Cut River Bridge

References

  1. ↑ Control Section/Physical Reference Atlas (Map). Michigan Department of Transportation. 2009. Archived from the original on October 16, 2008. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
  2. ↑ Michigan Legislature: HB 4957 (97th Legislature)
  3. ↑ Heath M. Robinson, Chief Petty Officer (SEAL), United States Navy
  4. ↑ http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9620-366432--,00.html

  • "31 Cut River Bridge". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 2003. Archived from the original on 2011-06-03. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
  • "Cut River Bridge". Letterboxing North America. August 8, 2003. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
  • "Cut River Bridge". Historic Bridges of Michigan and Elsewhere. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
  • Hunt, Mary; Hunt, Don. "Epoufette: Cut River Bridge & Picnic Area". Hunts' Guide to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Albion, MI: Midwestern Guides. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
  • Hyde, Charles (May 13, 2002). "US 2 / Cut River". Historic Bridge Listing. Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
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