Alexander-Acacia Bridge

Alexander-Acacia Bridge
Alexander-Acacia Bridge is located in San Francisco Bay Area
Alexander-Acacia Bridge
Location within San Francisco Bay Area
Alexander-Acacia Bridge is located in California
Alexander-Acacia Bridge
Location within California
Alexander-Acacia Bridge is located in the United States
Alexander-Acacia Bridge
Location within the United States
LocationAlexander Ave. between Acacia and Monte Vista Aves., Larkspur, California
Coordinates37°55′49″N 122°31′51″W / 37.93028°N 122.53083°W / 37.93028; -122.53083 (Alexander-Acacia Bridge)
Arealess than one acre
Built1925 (1925)
Built byFrank Oglesby
NRHP reference No.84000903
Added to NRHPJanuary 5, 1984

The Alexander-Acacia Bridge (also known as the Alexander Avenue Bridge or Bridge No. 27C-150) is a concrete pony arch bridge in Larkspur, California, United States. Constructed by Frank Oglesby, it was completed in 1927 and crosses a former railroad line. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Description

The Alexander-Acacia Bridge is part of Alexander Avenue between Acacia and Monte Vista avenues in Larkspur, California, United States.: 1  The bridge has the internal ID of Bridge No. 27C-150. It carries two lanes of traffic above what was originally a railroad line,: 2  operated by the Northwestern Pacific Railroad. The bridge measures 29 feet (8.8 m) wide and 163.5 feet (49.8 m) long in total. The deck is divided into seven slabs made of reinforced concrete. The joints between each slab are supported by groups of two or three columns each. A pair of reinforced concrete through arches cross the former railroad right-of-way at a right angle. The roadway itself is made of asphalt concrete and is about 20 feet (6.1 m) wide.: 2 

History

The Alexander Avenue Bridge was built by town engineer Frank Oglesby: 3  as part of a grade crossing elimination project along the Northwestern Pacific Railroad line. On June 3, 1925, Oglesby was ordered to create plans for a bridge connecting Alexander and Acacia avenues on opposite sides of the railroad, replacing an old wooden bridge.: 3  It cost $57,000 to build, of which the California State Railroad Commission mandated that Northwestern Pacific pay $12,507. The railroad refused to pay until a United States circuit court ruled in 1929 that the railroad had to fund its share of the bridge.

The tracks were eventually removed and a bike path built on their right-of-way. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 5, 1984. At the time of its listing, it was one of five reinforced concrete through arches known to exist in California.: 3  By the early 21st century, the bridge was deemed seismically deficient and needed over $1,4 million in repairs. The Larkspur council narrowly voted in 2009 to preserve the bridge, rather than spending $2.1 million on a new bridge on the site. The Hanna Group renovated the bridge as part of the seismic retrofit, and the span reopened in 2013.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Alexander-Acacia Bridge". National Park Service. Retrieved October 28, 2026. With accompanying pictures
  3. 1 2 3 "National Register #84000903: Alexander-Acacia Bridge in Larkspur, California". NoeHill in San Francisco. September 11, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Mikesell, S.D.; California. Department of Transportation (1990). Historic Highway Bridges of California. California Department of Transportation. p. 166. Retrieved October 28, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Journal, Marin Independent (September 18, 2009). "Editorial: Larkspur council right to preserve historic bridge". Marin Independent Journal. Retrieved October 28, 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Railroad Must Pay For Larkspur Bridge". The San Francisco Examiner. December 18, 1929. p. 6. Retrieved October 28, 2026.
  7. ↑ "For the Safety of Travelers on Highways". The Napa Valley Register. January 12, 1927. p. 2. Retrieved October 28, 2026.
  8. ↑ Parks, California State. "California Historical Resources". California State Parks. Retrieved October 28, 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Marin County, California Bridges: Alexander Avenue Bridge across the Larkspur". Corte Madera Path. January 24, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Construction begins on bridge project". The Sacramento Bee. June 26, 2013. pp. A5. Retrieved October 28, 2026.
  11. ↑ Norian, Nick (October 26, 2026). "Alexander Bridge in Larkspur reopens". Redwood Bark. Retrieved October 28, 2026.