16th Avenue Bailey Bridge

16th Avenue Bailey Bridge
Coordinates 43°54′08″N 79°12′51″W / 43.90236°N 79.21408°W / 43.90236; -79.21408Coordinates: 43°54′08″N 79°12′51″W / 43.90236°N 79.21408°W / 43.90236; -79.21408
Carries single lane of traffic on Sewells Road
Crosses Little Rouge Creek
Locale Markham, Ontario, Canada
Maintained by York Region Roads
Characteristics
Design Single-lane wood decked bailey bridge
Total length 21.3 metres (70 ft)
History
Opened 1945 (1945) [1]

Old (16th Avenue) Bailey Bridge was a bailey bridge located on 16th Avenue (York Regional Road 73) east of Reesor Road within Rouge Park in Markham, Ontario, Canada.[2][3] The bridge crossed the Little Rouge Creek, a tributary of the Rouge River.

History

The 21.3-metre (70 ft) wood-plank-deck[2] steel bridge was constructed in 1945.[1] It was restored in 1965. Little has changed for the traffic in the area, which is still rural and agricultural.

Replacement

An assessment by York Region and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority in 2007 suggested the bridge be removed when the road was realigned and widened, though still noted that it "is of heritage interest",[1] although it was, at the time, not listed in the Markham Heritage Inventory. In a 2010 report from the Transportation Services Committee to the Regional Council, Rouge Park management indicated their desire to maintain the bailey bridge for pedestrian use.[2] In mid-2011, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority accepted the proposal to save the bridge for use in a future trail, after 16th Avenue was realigned and widened to eliminate the jog at Reesor Road.[4]

By 2014, the realignment was complete and the bridge had been replaced.

The bridge was an early example of a bailey bridge. They are now rare in Ontario.[1]

See also

Other bailey bridges in and around this one:

Other major bridges in Markham:

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Built Heritage and Cultural Landscape Assessment" (PDF). iTRANS Consulting.
  2. 1 2 3 "4 - Consultant selection for engineering services - 16th Avenue detailed design - Town of Markham (Request for proposal P-09-76)" (PDF). Report No. 1 of the Transportation Services Committee - Regional Council Meeting of January 21, 2010. Town of Markham. 2010-01-21. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2012. Retrieved 2012-02-01.
  3. "Cycling in Rouge Park". Rouge Valley Conservation Centre. Retrieved 2012-02-01.
  4. "Item EX7.4" (PDF). Executive Committee Meeting #4/11. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. 2011-05-06. pp. 36–38. Retrieved 2012-02-01.
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