Roaring Run Bridge
(Bowstring Truss Bridge)
NBI Information
Location
State: Virginia
County/City: Montgomery County
Feature Carried: Pedestrian Path
Feature Crossed: Drainage Ditch
Latitude, Longitude: 37.2392, -80.2244
Toll: N/A
Maintenance Responsibility: N/A
Structure Open, Posted, or Closed to Traffic: Open to Pedestrians
History
Year Built: 1878
Historical Significance: N/A
Year Reconstructed: 1977
Picture Date: December 12, 2020
Geometry
Lanes on Structure: 1
Lanes under Structure: 0
Skew: 0 degrees
Number of Main Spans: 1
Main Structure Type: Thru Truss
Main Structure Material: Steel
Number of Approach Spans: 0
Approach Structure Type: None
Approach Structure Material: None
Condition
Bridge is not on the National Bridge Inventory.
Bridge Information
The Roaring Run Bridge, also called the Bowstring Truss Bridge, is the oldest metal bridge in Virginia. This bridge was originally built over the Stony Fork River in 1878. It was relocated to Roaring Run in 1930, then to its current location in 1977. It is currently in the Ironto Rest Area off of I-81 in Virginia.
The bridge is a single span, four panel, tubular arch pony truss. It is 55 feet long, 6.5 feet high and 12 feet wide, with a roadway width of 9.5 feet. The main structural components, including the arches, floorbeams, tie rods, tie bars and suspenders, are all manufactured from wrought iron. The bearing plates and connectors are manufactured from cast iron. Most of the main structural components are original. However, the wooden deck and concrete abutments were installed when the bridge was moved to its final location in 1977.
References
Historic Bridges: https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=virginia/roaringrunbridge/
National Achieves Catalogue: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41681995
