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Canyon Falls Bridge
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Bridge span
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| Location: | US 41 over Sturgeon R., L'Anse Township, Michigan |
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| Area: | less than one acre |
| Built: | 1948 |
| Architect: | Michigan State Highway Department |
| Architectural style: | Other, steel girder ribbed deck arc |
| Governing body: | State |
| MPS: | Highway Bridges of Michigan MPS |
| NRHP Reference#: | 99001464[1] |
| Added to NRHP: | November 30, 1999 |
The Canyon Falls Bridge is a bridge located on U.S. Route 41 over the Sturgeon River in L'Anse Township, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.[1]
During 1947-48, the Michigan State Highway Department contracted for the construction of eleven different trunkline bridges in the Upper Peninsula.[2] Five of these bridges were required due to the reconstruction of US-41. The Canyon Falls bridge was designated Bridge No. B2 of 7-4-5 C2 by the MSHD. The steel arch bridge was designed by MSHD engineers and constructed for $116,389.42, plus an additional $58,200 for structural steel. The Canyon Falls bridge was completed in the summer of 1948, and has remained in use in essentially unaltered condition since.[2]
This bridge is significant because the steel arch design is relatively rare in the state, due largely to the fact that few river crossings afforded the required vertical distance. The Canyon Falls Bridge is a visually striking construction, representing the Highway Department's focus on aesthetics.[2]
The Canyon Falls Bridge is constructed of a two-hinged, girder-ribbed arch set of the the Sturgeon River. The span is 128 feet long, with 52-foot approach spans on each end for an overall structure length of 232 feet. Five ribs support a 45.4-foot wide deck, of which 38 feet is used for the asphalt roadway. The ribs rest on massive concrete pedestals.[2]
The configuration of the bridge is highly simplified, with some minimal decoration on ancillary components. Guardrails have ornamental steel rails and balusters, and a decorative concrete pylon tops each arch pedestal. The appearance of the pylons and the profile of the arched ribs gives the bridge a distinctive Art Moderne look.[2]
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