Carries Route 10 Maintained by MassHighway Opened 1969 Width 13 m Location Northfield | Crosses Connecticut River ID number N2200412EMHDNBI Total length 216 m Load limit 57,500 kg Body of water Connecticut River | |
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Locale Northfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts Design Steel Stringer/Multi-beam or Girder Similar Schell Bridge, French King Bridge, Calvin Coolidge Bridge, Bulkeley Bridge, Canalside Rail Trail Bridge | ||
The Route 10 bridge, also known as Bennett's Meadow Bridge is a 215.5-metre (707 ft) steel stringer bridge crossing the Connecticut River in the town of Northfield, Massachusetts. The bridge carries state highway Route 10 and was built in 1969.
History
The town of Northfield first authorized a bridge at or near the site of the current bridge in 1810. The bridge was built by a private corporation with the town holding stock. The new bridge was destroyed in a flood after only a few years. A horse boat ferry, known as Bennett's Meadow Ferry, replaced the river crossing. In 1897, the state legislature authorized Franklin County to construct a second bridge at or near the site of the ferry at a cost not to exceed $35,000. The new bridge was designed by Edward Shaw of Boston and was opened to traffic in 1899. The bridge was one of the first bridges erected by a then novel method without the use of false works that has since become standard procedure. The 1899 bridge was later demolished and a third bridge (the current bridge) was constructed just south of the former bridge, resulting also in the slight realignment of the highway.