Thurston Avenue Bridge
NBI Information
Location
State: New York
County: Tompkins County
Feature Carried: Thurston Avenue
Feature Crossed: Fall Creek
Latitude, Longitude: 42.4516,-76.4817
Toll: On free road
Maintenance Responsibility: City or Municipal Highway Agency
Structure Open, Posted, or Closed to Traffic: Open, no restriction
History
Year Built: 1960
Historical Significance: Bridge is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
Year Reconstructed: 2007
Picture Date: April 7, 2024
Geometry
Lanes on Structure: 2
Lanes under Structure: 0
Skew: 0 degrees
Number of Main Spans: 1
Main Structure Type: Arch - Deck
Main Structure Material: Steel
Number of Approach Spans: 2
Approach Structure Type: Stringer/Multi-beam or Girder
Approach Structure Material: Steel
Condition
Inspection Date: September 2021
Deck Condition: Good
Superstructure Condition: Good
Substructure Condition: Satisfactory
Channel Condition: Good
Culvert: Not Applicable
NBI Year: 2023
Bridge Information
The Thurston Avenue Bridge was originally built as a true deck truss in 1960, meaning that no part of the truss extended above the deck (see the postcard below, copied from The Corner Book Stores, Ithaca). It was modeled after the Triphammer Bridge, which was built in 1897 and was the previous bridge at this site.
The bridge was reconstructed in 2007. At first glance, it appears that the bridge was rebuilt. However, the historic steel box arches and spandrels were maintained. Two new induction bent tubular steel arches were added to the bridge, and these arches extend above the deck level, giving the impression of a through arch bridge. This was done to maintain views of the historic trusses.
This project was actually NY DOT’s first project using induction bent tubular steel arches. Induction bending is a type of fabrication where an induction coil heats a band around the tube to a temperature of 1,750 to 2,000 F (this isn’t a typo; it really is that hot). The section passes through this coil at a speed of 0.5 to 2 inches per minute as the bending moment is applied. After bending, the heated area is quenched by a water spray.
The reconstruction widened the sidewalk, added bike lanes, added new railings with overlooks for viewing the adjacent Beebe Lake and Fall Creek Gorge, added new ADA features such as ramps, detectable warnings, marked crossings, and signage, and added LED lighting across the bridge. Suicide nets were added to the bridge in 2012.
References
Structurae: https://structurae.net/en/structures/thurston-avenue-bridge
American Galvanizers Association: https://galvanizeit.org/project-gallery/thurston-avenue-bridge
Pedestrian and Bike Information Center: https://www.pedbikeinfo.org/examples/example_details.cfm?id=4162
Federal Highway Administration: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/eihd/2008/cat06.cfm#:~:text=Thurston%20Avenue%20Bridge%20over%20Fall%20Creek&text=This%20bridge%20is%20listed%20in,visually%20appropriate%20for%20its%20location.
NY DOT: https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/structures/repository/events-news/presentations-06/6-4_induction_bent_arch_2006_lbc.pdf
The Ithacan: https://theithacan.org/20154/news/city-approves-suicide-net-installation-under-bridges/
