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Turners Falls–Gill Bridge

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Coordinates: 42°36′41″N 72°33′07″W / 42.6115°N 72.552°W / 42.6115; -72.552
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Turners Falls–Gill Bridge
Coordinates42°36′41″N 72°33′07″W / 42.6115°N 72.552°W / 42.6115; -72.552
Carriespedestrian and vehicular traffic
CrossesConnecticut River
LocaleGill and Turners Falls
Characteristics
Designtruss bridge
Total length528.2 metres (1,733 ft)[1]
History
Construction end1938
Location
Map

Officially the Turners Falls-Gill Bridge, the turners falls- Gill bridge. is a steel deck truss bridge crossing the Connecticut River in Massachusetts. It connects the Town of Gill with the village of Turners Falls in the Town of Montague. The bridge carries automobile and pedestrian traffic.

History

Before the bridge was constructed, a ferry known as "Bissel's Ferry" operated approximately a quarter-mile upriver from this site. In 1878, the ferry was replaced by an earlier bridge, known as the Upper or 'Red' Suspension Bridge -- distinguishing it from the "Lower Suspension Bridge," at the current downriver site of the Turners Falls Road Bridge -- which was 563 feet long.[2] Damaged beyond repair in the devastating Connecticut Valley flood of 1936, it was replaced by the current bridge in 1938 and torn down in 1942 to recover materials for the war effort; its piers remain on the river banks.

The current structure began construction on May 17, 1937 and was completed in September 1938.[3] The bridge was dedicated on Saturday, September 10, 1938.[4] By 2010, the road deck of the bridge had become riddled with potholes and uneven pavement. A major renovation project began in summer 2010 and finished in 2014 at an estimated cost of $40.7 million. [5] [6]

  • Monument on the Gill, Massachusetts side of the Gill–Montague Bridge, with the text "CAPTAIN WILLIAM TURNER WITH 145 MEN SURPRISED AND DESTROYED OVER 300 INDIANS ENCAMPED AT THIS PLACE MAY 19, 1676"
    Monument on the Gill, Massachusetts side of the Gill–Montague Bridge, with the text "CAPTAIN WILLIAM TURNER WITH 145 MEN SURPRISED AND DESTROYED OVER 300 INDIANS ENCAMPED AT THIS PLACE MAY 19, 1676"
  • The Gill side of the Turners Falls dam shows the trio of Taintor Gates closed when this image was taken. With the dam closed, all the water from the Connecticut River is channeled through the Turners Falls Canal.
    The Gill side of the Turners Falls dam shows the trio of Taintor Gates closed when this image was taken. With the dam closed, all the water from the Connecticut River is channeled through the Turners Falls Canal.
  • This is the plaque on the northeast corner of the bridge. Click on the image to get the text.
    This is the plaque on the northeast corner of the bridge. Click on the image to get the text.

See also

References

  1. ^ Massroads.com
  2. ^ Whittlesey, Charles W. (1938). Crossing and Re-Crossing the Connecticut River. New Haven, Connecticut: The Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Company. p. 25. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ Gregory, Ed, {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ Gregory, Ed, {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ "MassHighway bridge information". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ Broncaccio, Diane (28 July 2010). "Turners Falls-Gill Bridge begins 4-year journey to reconstruction". The Recorder. Greenfield, MA. pp. A1, A8.
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