Short Span Steel Bridges 
In 2020, U.S. Bridge answered the call when Miami County, Ohio asked for a new bridge at Croft Mill Road. The existing 107-foot bridge was in dire need of a replacement. Apart from the 40-year-old bridge being well beyond the point of repair, the bridge faced a 25% reduced load capacity and a narrow width of 15′-6″.
Besides the typical challenges of hydraulic adequacy and road profile constraints, the crossing at Croft Mill Road spans across Greenville Creek, which is part of Ohio’s State Scenic River. Because of this, the Croft Mill Road crossing has a history and setting that creates an attractive and noticeable structure which deemed it as a public investment. U.S. Bridge intended to keep it this way.
The crossing at Croft Mill Road spans across Greenville Creek, which is part of Ohio’s State Scenic River.
Widening and Galvanizing
When replacing the crossing at Croft Mill Road, U.S. Bridge knew they had to modernize the bridge’s width. The width of the old structure was much too slim for contemporary standards. As a result, U.S. Bridge increased the width from 15′-6″ to 28 feet.
Along with widening the path, the new bridge features hot-dipped galvanized steel trusses. Galvanization bonds zinc to steel, resulting in a much more rugged and reliable bridge. Galvanizing also eliminates corrosion for up to 100 years. U.S. Bridge was so confident in the galvanizing process that they provide a 35-year warranty on their galvanized steel beam bridge.
The American Galvanizers Association developed a Hot-Dip Galvanized Steel Coating Appearance 5-part video series. This series follows steel samples throughout fabrication and hot-dip galvanizing to show variations in coating appearance and distinctly highlights the causes.
Choosing the Right Bridge
Miami County considered several structure types for the project. Prestressed concrete box beams or I-beams were considered, but at the time of construction, manufacturing limits eliminated the possibility of utilizing prestressed concrete box beams.
In addition to manufacturing constraints, the depth of the beams required for a span length would greatly affect the structure’s waterway adequacy. Another option was to raise the roadway significantly, but either choice proved unfeasible. This is why Miami County decided to pursue the galvanized truss option for replacement.
Miami County decided to install a galvanized steel truss bridge from U.S. Bridge for the project.
Preserving the Property
Overall, the goal was not only to increase the span length over the former bridge but also to limit the impacts on Greenville Creek and the surrounding property on the north side of the bridge.
When visiting the site today, it’s almost impossible to notice the changes to the property because of how well the bridge fits into the surrounding area. U.S. Bridge is proud of this accomplishment but even more proud of keeping Ohio’s rich history alive and untarnished.
Build To Last with U.S. Bridge
U.S. Bridge has been building bridges that withstand time for over 80 years. Contact U.S. Bridge for more information.
