View source for S bridge

{{Short description|Rare type of overpass design}}
{{Other uses|S bridge (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}
[[File:FoxRunS-Bridge NewConcordOH.jpg|thumb|The [["S" Bridge II (Muskingum County, Ohio)|Fox Run S bridge]] in [[New Concord, Ohio]].]]
An '''S bridge''' is a [[bridge]] whose alignment follows a [[reverse curve]], shaped roughly like a shallow letter [[S]] in plan, used in early 19th-century road construction in the [[United States]]. They were generally used for crossing small, curving [[stream]]s with uneven banks.  Several of these bridges are found in and around the [[New Concord, Ohio]] area.

S bridges were originally constructed early in the 19th century. The design was adopted where the road crossed the creek or river at an angle. Constructing a [[skew arch|bridge at an angle]] was much more complicated and expensive than building the bridge perpendicular to the water flow and banks. The bridges were constructed at 90 degrees to the bank, while two 'aprons' were constructed at opposite angles to direct the [[traffic flow]] smoothly onto the bridge, thus creating the 's' shape.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ohionationalroad.org/s_bridge.htm |title="S" Stands for Bridge |publisher=Ohio National Road Association |access-date=23 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104092318/http://ohionationalroad.org/s_bridge.htm |archive-date=4 November 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ourohio.org/neighbors/travel-ohio/statewide/on-the-road-again/ |title=on the road again |last=Lawson |first=Cara |publisher=ourohio.org |accessdate=23 October 2010}}</ref>

Only a few of these bridges still exist, mostly in [[Ohio]].  Four of them are located in [[Guernsey County, Ohio|Guernsey County]]. [[S Bridge II|Fox Run S bridge]] is located along [[U.S. Route 40 in Ohio|U.S. Route 40]] in New Concord in [[Muskingum County, Ohio|Muskingum County]]. The next bridge, four and a half miles east from [[New Concord, Ohio|New Concord]] on U.S. Route 40, is found at the intersection of US 40 and Peter's Creek Road.  Continuing eastward, the next bridge may be found a short distance from US 40 on Manilla Road.  The next "S" bridge is {{Convert|1.5|miles|km}} east of [[Cambridge, Ohio|Cambridge]] along US 40 at its intersection with Old National Road and has fallen into considerable disrepair.  The [[S Bridge, National Road|fourth bridge]] is located between [[Old Washington, Ohio]] and [[Middlebourne, Ohio]] along Blend Road, at the intersection of Bridgewater Road, and has been designated a [[National Historic Landmark]].  This bridge was closed on 2 October 2013 and no S bridges are still in use for vehicular traffic in Ohio.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lyttle |first=Eric |date=October 4, 2013 |title=Fracking boom closes historic bridge |url=https://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/10/04/1828-s-bridge-closed-for-its-own-good.html |url-status=live |work=[[The Columbus Dispatch]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210706225924/https://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/10/04/1828-s-bridge-closed-for-its-own-good.html |archive-date=July 6, 2021 |access-date=}}</ref>

These four bridges were constructed as a part of the original [[National Road]], which was built circa 1825.

The [[S Bridge (Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania)|S Bridge]] in [[Berks County, Pennsylvania]], and the [[Claysville S Bridge]] in [[Washington County, Pennsylvania]], are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. Another S bridge, in [[Anderson County, Kentucky]], is located on [[U.S. Route 62 (Kentucky)|U.S. Route 62]] east of [[Lawrenceburg, Kentucky|Lawrenceburg]]. It has undergone major roadway replacement and has been widened.

Another S bridge of note is located in [[Hertford, North Carolina]]. It connects a [[causeway]] from [[Winfall, North Carolina|Winfall]] to the Town of Hertford, over the [[Perquimans River]].

The [[Linn Cove Viaduct]] on the [[Blue Ridge Parkway]] in modern example that snakes around [[Grandfather Mountain]] in [[North Carolina]].

The [[Dublin Link]] pedestrian suspension S bridge was opened in [[Dublin, Ohio]] on 17 March 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bridge Street District » Pedestrian Bridge |url=http://bridgestreet.dublinohiousa.gov/pedestrian-bridge/ |website=bridgestreet.dublinohiousa.gov |accessdate=16 April 2020}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Dublin Link 03.jpg|Dublin Link
File:Bad Kissingen Luitpoldparksteg 01.JPG|Luitpoldparksteg
File:Webb Bridge 02.jpg|Webb Bridge
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Three-way bridge]] (Y-bridge)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:S Bridge}}
[[Category:S bridges|*]]