Opaekaa Road Bridge
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| Opaekaa Road Bridge | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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| Location: | Kapaʻa, HI |
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: |
| Built/Founded: | 1890, 1895, 1919 |
| Added to NRHP: | March 28, 1983 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 83000253 |
The Opaekaa Road Bridge, also known as the ʻOpaekaʻa Road Bridge, is a steel truss bridge listed on the National Register of Historic Places located along ʻOpaekaʻa Road in the Wailua Homesteads neighborhood of Kapaʻa, Hawaiʻi, United States. The one-lane bridge spans ʻOpaekaʻa Stream. With steel beams forged in 1890 by the Alexander Findlay & Company in Motherwell, Scotland, this is touted as possibly the only British-built bridge located in the United States.[1]
[edit] History
The steel supports for this bridge were originally forged in 1890 and utilized as part of the Wailua River Bridge. Constructed as a three span, steel truss bridge, its construction was delayed through 1894 due to the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the establishment of the Republic of Hawaii.[2] When this span was replaced in 1919, the steel was reused in the construction of the present-day bridge over ʻOpaekaʻa Stream. Its relocation was carried out by then County Engineer Joseph Moragne.[1]
Today, the largest span has a length of 33.1 feet (10.1 m), a total length of 74.2 feet (22.6 m) and a deck width of 12.5 feet (3.8 m).[3] Having an average daily traffic of 382 vehicles as of 1986, the bridge is maintained by the Kauaʻi County Division of Roads.[3] With a sufficiency rating of only 14.7 percent and substandard safety railing, this span is listed as structurally deficient and past the point of rehabilitation, necessitating the need for a replacement span for the crossing.[3]
As a result of its age and exposure, many of its steel beams are rusted through, with much of its concrete deck cracked in multiple locations.[1] Due to its deteriorating state as of 2007, its rated load is only just 5 tons.[1] Currently, the span is listed to be replaced as part of the Hawaii Department of Transportation's current statewide transportation improvement program.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d TenBruggencate, Jan. "Hawai'i's bridges old, need work - but safe", The Honolulu Advertiser, August 3, 2007, pp. 1A.
- ^ Jackson, Donald Conrad [1996]. Great American Bridges and Dams, 287. ISBN 9780471143857.
- ^ a b c National Bridge Inventory (June 1, 2008). NBI Structure Number: 007420151142001 (Opaekaa Road Bridge).
- ^ Hawaii Department of Transportation (June 1, 2008). State of Hawaii Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.
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