# Checking Out A Bridge



## Wanderer0101 (Jul 18, 2007)

I found a property that I like very much which has a bridge across the stream at the front of the property. This is a free span bridge that is maybe 25 feet long and sits about eight feet above the water, steel frame with a plank deck. First property that I've looked at with a bridge so I'm not real clear what to ask about. I've asked for the load rating, some information on who designed and built it, and I guess if I get serious about the property I should engage a Civil Engineer or someone of that nature to inspect it. Any other ideas.

Not sure exactly where I should post this question so if it needs to be moved, feel free to do so.


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## blufford (Nov 23, 2004)

I can't answer you question but I can pose several more that you might consider.
Is the bridge and maintenance owned completely by you and will you be responsible for its upkeep? Is it in the deed as part of the property...you don't want someone to come along and claim it belongs to them. Is it insurable? Does the river rise? Is it the only way to get to your property? Do other people get to use the bridge to get to their properties. Can hunters cross it or fishermen fish off of it. What area of the country is this in?


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## blooba (Feb 9, 2010)

Flooding would be my biggest concern. The bridge maybe 8 ft from the water now but when creeks and streams flood 8 ft is usually nothing.

I have had bridges washed away from floods that turned a 3 ft wide 2" deep trickle into a 10 ft high 50 foot wide torrent of water. 

Check out the flood maps. I have had 2 500 year floods in the past 5 yrs and there was a 1000 yr flood about 15 years back. So they happen alot more than the time stated...lol

Find out if the bridge has been overtopped by water before (if it survived and what the repairs were) If it has survived it might be a decent construction but I would still consider figuring out how much it would cost to replace.

Insurance is also a must because even if replacing it isnt too costly it may get blocked up with debris and flood out your neighbors upstream. (Luckily i haven't been sued yet)

Don't let this discourage you, water is very nice to have on your property but you have to be sure to cover all your bases and keep the bridge clear of debris.


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## Wanderer0101 (Jul 18, 2007)

Good questions guys. I'm sending them to the realtor. The only things I can answer at the moment is that the property is in Southwest Missouri and the bridge is the only way onto the property with the exception of quite a bit of cross country and or fording the creek at another location. There are no other houses that are accessed by the bridge. As nearly as I can tell the drive crosses the stream and goes about 200 yards through the woods to the house, that's it.


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## NorthCountryWd (Oct 17, 2008)

Depends on your state and who owns the property the bridge is on. There's a bridge on my property that's been there since the early 1800s. It was rebuilt by the previous owner at his cost. He found out later that if he had registered it with the state before demo-ing it, they would have covered a portion of the cost. 

Bridges aren't cheap.


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## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

We owned a place in southern Ohio with only bridge access. It costs us about $6,000.00 to get new concrete supports put in. A new concrete deck would have costs another $6,000.00, so we left the wooden planks, and dh replaced the rotten ones. It did flood over twice in the 5 years we lived there. It wasn't an issue for us as far as getting in or out, as it flooded fast, but receeded in a few hours. It did leave debree I had to clean off. The other issue is that Lowes truck would not cross the bridge to deliver a refridgerator, and when we moved, the moving truck parked on the far side of the creek, and shuttled the furniture there in a pickup. This meant extra time (and money) for us. If you need propane delivered, it could be an issue for you.


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