Blossomland Bridge
| Blossomland Bridge | |
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Bridge in the raised position in 2013
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| Coordinates | 42°06′44″N 86°28′40″W / 42.1122°N 86.4778°WCoordinates: 42°06′44″N 86°28′40″W / 42.1122°N 86.4778°W |
| Carries |
 M-63
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| Crosses | St. Joseph River |
| Locale | St. Joseph, Michigan |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 713 feet (217 m) |
| Width | 57.8 feet (17.6 m) |
| Longest span | 164 feet (50 m) |
| No. of spans | 7 |
| History | |
| Construction start | 1947 |
| Construction end | 1948 |
| Construction cost | over $1.3 million |
| References | |
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Blossomland Bridge
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| NRHP Reference # | 99001576 |
| Added to NRHP | December 17, 1999 |
The Blossomland Bridge is a bascule bridge in St. Joseph, Michigan, that carries M-63 across the St. Joseph River. Delayed by World War II, construction took place from 1947 though 1948. At the time, it was the longest bridge built by the Michigan State Highway Department. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Traffic congestion between St. Joseph and Benton Harbor prompted the state highway department to relocate U.S. Route 31, now M-63. The route included a moveable span that exacerbated the problem due to its frequent breakdowns. A new bridge was needed to span the St. Joseph River, which carried steamboat traffic, resulting in a bascule design. Plans were discussed in the early 1940s, but construction was delayed until after the end of World War II. Even though supply shortages continued after war's end, the Blossomland Bridge was one of the state's priorities.
The bridge was designed by consulting engineers Hazelet and Erdal of Chicago, a process thought to be completed by the end of 1946. Some financial aid was obtained by the highway department from the federal government. Construction bids were requested in December 1946, and when opened on January 9, 1947, W. J. Meagher and Sons of Bay City was awarded the role of general contractor at a bid of $747,497. American Bridge Company supplied and erected the bridge steel for $512,240. Construction was completed in 1948 at a total cost of over $1.3 million, and the bridge was pictured on the cover of Michigan Roads and Construction in November. It was dedicated on October 27, 1948, in honor of the mayor of St. Joseph, Waldo V. Tiscornia. Commissioner of the highway department Charles Ziegler served as guest of honor at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. At the time, it was the longest bridge built under the auspices of the highway department.
Rehabilitation work took place in 1966, including the replacement of the original railings, remnants of which are located along a staircase at one corner of the bridge.
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Wikipedia