Waldo–Hancock Bridge
Waldo–Hancock Bridge | |
|---|---|
Waldo–Hancock Bridge in 2001 | |
| Coordinates | 44°33′38″N 68°48′07″W / 44.560692°N 68.801966°W |
| Carries | US 1 and SR 3 |
| Crosses | Penobscot River |
| Locale | Bucksport, Maine, (Hancock County, Maine) |
| Official name | Waldo–Hancock Bridge |
| Maintained by | Maine Department of Transportation |
| ID number | (Bridge No. 2973) |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Suspension bridge |
| Total length | 2,040 ft (621.8 m) |
| Width | 20 ft (6.1 m) roadway with Two 3+1⁄2 ft (1.1 m) sidewalks |
| Height | 236 ft (71.9 m) |
| Longest span | 800 ft (243.8 m) |
| Clearance below | 135 ft (41.1 m) |
| History | |
| Construction start | 1929 |
| Construction end | 1931 |
| Opened | November 16, 1931 |
| Closed | December 30, 2006 (Demolished 2013) |
| Statistics | |
| Toll | 1931–1953 |
Waldo–Hancock Bridge | |
Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Location | US 1 and SR 3, Verona, Maine |
| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1931 |
| Architect | Robinson & Steinman |
| Architectural style | Suspension |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001267 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | June 20, 1985 |
| Removed from NRHP | December 18, 2013 |
| Location | |
The Waldo–Hancock Bridge was the first long-span suspension bridge erected in Maine, as well as the first permanent bridge across the Penobscot River downstream from Bangor. The name comes from connecting Waldo and Hancock counties. The bridge was built in 1931 and retired in 2006, when the new Penobscot Narrows Bridge was opened just a few yards away. Demolition of the structure was completed by 2013.
The bridge was 2,040 feet (621.8 m) long with a clear center span of 800 feet (243.8 m) between towers. It had two 350-foot (106.7 m) side spans and carried a 20-foot (6.1 m) wide roadway with two 3+1⁄2-foot (1.1 m) sidewalks. It used stiffening trusses that are 9 feet (2.7 m) deep. Each of the main catenary cables were 9+5⁄8 inches (24.4 cm) in diameter, and consisted of 37 strands of 37 wires. The deck was 135 feet (41.1 m) above water level to allow passage of large ships. The total cost of the span was less than $850,000 in 1931 dollars (about $12 million in 2010 dollars), significantly under its allocated budget.