# Need a bridge or know of someone that does?



## Darren

I have one I'll sell. It was one of my projects that never got off the ground. Pun intended. It's 149' long when assembled and weighs 35 tons. Includes all diaphragms, base plates and bearings. The girders are in excellent shape. It used to be part of an interstate highway that was never completed. Approximate scrap value is $9,000. Cost to fabricate is between $100,000 and $150,000. It's Corten steel which never needs painting.

For the right price I'll arrange delivery anywhere in the country. It can be transported on two flatbeds.


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## blooba

ok, I gotta ask. Where in the heck did you get a bridge of this magnitude?.....lol


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## Darren

It used to be part of an unfinished on ramp for I95 near Baltimore.For more information you'll have to wait for my book "Really Stupid Things I've Done."


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## clovis

I'm guessing that you already have this listed on ebay?

Surely, someone out there...a city, state, private toll road or business needs a bridge, and can re-engineer your bridge into something they need.

Have you tried to market this to other bridge builders and their sales agents? Seems that if they could use it or sell it for a good price, you might be happy to drop $10,000 into their lap as commission, right?


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## Darren

I'd be happy to pay a finder's fee. $10,000 is a bit steep. I'm thinking maybe $2,000. I'm not trying to sell it for anywhere near $100,000. If you happen to sell it for me for $100,000, I'll happily cut you in for $10,000.


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## clovis

So is there any way to re-engineer the bridge? 

I wish I were in the bridge selling business. I'd be pimping that bridge to anyone that would listen, and make myself a fat $10k for doing it.


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## notbutanapron

So. So when someone said "I have a bridge to sell you".. you bought a bridge? I am so pleased. I love this thread and there is this piece in me that's like "I totally want a giant bridge" and the rest of this story. Can't wait for the book!


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## blooba

notbutanapron said:


> So. So when someone said "I have a bridge to sell you"..


Well at least he's not selling the Brooklyn Bridge....lol


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## Darren

notbutanapron said:


> So. So when someone said "I have a bridge to sell you".. you bought a bridge? I am so pleased. I love this thread and there is this piece in me that's like "I totally want a giant bridge" and the rest of this story. Can't wait for the book!


It's worse than that. I had to search to find out who "owned" it. It might make a better country song but sometimes truth is just too far fetched to believe. Anyone who wants 10% of the selling price, not including the cost of loading and shipping, find me a buyer for over $15,000.

Anyone know how to make 70,000 lbs go viral on the internet?


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## Otter

Darren said:


> Anyone know how to make 70,000 lbs go viral on the internet?


Dude, just write on facebook what you've written here, maybe a couple of pictures, and _trust me_, it _will_ go viral. If you want it to stay viral, don't give any more details on just how you ended up owning this. What you have here is* perfect.*


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## unregistered5595

This is funny--the whole idea, the bridge, do you want to buy a bridge, I've got a bridge for sale, ........

I have 5 lbs of garlic to barter but no where to put the bridge.


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## Michael W. Smith

What were your plans for it when you bought it? And WHO did you buy it from - the borough, the county, the state?

I'm sure somebody out there could really use your bridge. But I highly doubt a governemental body woud buy it - that would be WAY to cheap for them!

If you have pictures, I would like to see them.


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## simi-steading

Darren said:


> I have one I'll sell. It was one of my projects that never got off the ground. Pun intended. It's 149' long when assembled and weighs 35 tons. Includes all diaphragms, base plates and bearings. The girders are in excellent shape. It used to be part of an interstate highway that was never completed. Approximate scrap value is $9,000. Cost to fabricate is between $100,000 and $150,000. It's Corten steel which never needs painting.
> 
> For the right price I'll arrange delivery anywhere in the country. It can be transported on two flatbeds.


Hey Darren... Wondering how you've been, hadn't seen you around much lately.. 

When I saw this I was thinking HEY, I know an area where a lot of people need bridges like this.. and then I look up and see it's you.... 

I'd figure someone out in that area would need a new bridge...


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## CJBegins

Dude, I need that bridge! That would span a section of my road that flash floods horribly several times a year. Now if I can get my county road dept to install it......

It's not everyday you find a bridge for sale!


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## Big Dave

I49 highway project going though Arkansas right now. I 49 will run from KC to Shreveport. Good fortune.


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## Bricore

Darren,
I sent you a PM. Please read it and call me when you get a chance.

Thanks.
Dora


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## Darren

Otter said:


> Dude, just write on facebook what you've written here, maybe a couple of pictures, and _trust me_, it _will_ go viral. If you want it to stay viral, don't give any more details on just how you ended up owning this. What you have here is* perfect.*


I'd rather the whole world not know I was an idiot. I can hear it now. HR director: "Are you the guy that tried to sell part of an interstate? What a hoot! We'll get back to you."


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## Darren

Michael W. Smith said:


> What were your plans for it when you bought it? And WHO did you buy it from - the borough, the county, the state?
> 
> I'm sure somebody out there could really use your bridge. But I highly doubt a governemental body woud buy it - that would be WAY to cheap for them!
> 
> If you have pictures, I would like to see them.


I'll load pictures later. I bought the steel off the demolition contractor. The day they lowered the steel was the day it went on the trailers. I had an interest in a piece of property that needed a bridge. That's another chapter in the book.


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## Darren

simi-steading said:


> Hey Darren... Wondering how you've been, hadn't seen you around much lately..
> 
> When I saw this I was thinking HEY, I know an area where a lot of people need bridges like this.. and then I look up and see it's you....
> 
> I'd figure someone out in that area would need a new bridge...


I had it listed in the local classified paper. Other than one guy who was looking for something 40' long, there were no calls.


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## unregistered5595

Back about 4 years ago, the shovel ready money was flowing, and bridges were tested across the US, finding as many as 1 out of 4 needing to be replaced or repaired. I was just thinking about it the other day. That might be a resource to check, state sites about needed bridges.
Here is a place to start. I hope that helps.
http://www.iowadot.gov/subcommittee/bridgestats.aspx


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## Darren




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## sidepasser

OMG I could so use that on my farm in Ga to go over the creek...but the shipping would kill me..lol..


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## springvalley

I guess I can tell by the trees growing up in the middle of them , they been there awhile. Thats one hunk of steel. > Thanks marc


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## Darren

I may have a local trucking company that would be willing to haul it. A lot of potential buyers may not know how to arrange shipping. 

The Friday before the Monday when the steel was to be removed from the piers the trucking company I was using called to tell me the deal was off. It would have cost a $1,000 a day for the crane after Monday if I couldn't find another shipping company that afternoon. 

That was a busy Friday.


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## Slev

...I'm picturing in my mind the whole, while standing in line at the gas station to pay for gas thing, the little cup that reads... "Have a bridge leave one, need a bridge take one..." ...no?


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## Darren

Slev said:


> ...I'm picturing in my mind the whole, while standing in line at the gas station to pay for gas thing, the little cup that reads... "Have a bridge leave one, need a bridge take one..." ...no?


If only it was that easy.


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## lonelyfarmgirl

That is totally awesome. Have you ever come out of your house to find bums living under it? :nanner:


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## Otter

Darren said:


> I'd rather the whole world not know I was an idiot. I can hear it now. HR director: "Are you the guy that tried to sell part of an interstate? What a hoot! We'll get back to you."


Don't be silly! Idiots only get scars from cool stories. _Entrepreneurs_ use them to make creative marketing strategies


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## Michael W. Smith

springvalley said:


> I guess I can tell by the trees growing up in the middle of them , they been there awhile.


He's right! Just how along did you park your bridges there? If you ever do sell them, you are going to have some cutting to do to get the bridge out!!!!

Not hard to tell these are heavy duty - interstate heavy - bridges. For the person needing a bridge over a creek to drive their car over, it's kind of overkill, but . . . . . .

For the right person, this would be a cheap, "last forever" solution. I can't help but think there is some poor borough or township that needs a bridge, but doesn't have the funds for a "new" bridge.

Maybe you need to find a property nearby that is for sale cheap - due to not being able to access it because of a river or creek. Buy the property cheap, install the bridge, and charge market value for the now accessible land that has just quadrupled in price!


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## Darren

BTDT, Michael. That's more of the story.


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## Horseyrider

Darren said:


> BTDT, Michael. That's more of the story.


LOL!!! Well it does just get better and better, doesn't it? :hysterical:


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## Darren

Horseyrider said:


> LOL!!! Well it does just get better and better, doesn't it? :hysterical:


Only if you're not me.:smack


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## simi-steading

LOL.. 

Well if you ever need to haul it off Darren my place is close...


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## Darren

simi-steading said:


> LOL..
> 
> Well if you ever need to haul it off Darren my place is close...


Thanks, Looks like it's going to Jerry's. Jerry's = scrap yard. It's worth $8,400 if I cut it up and they haul it.


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## blooba

You gonna have to cut that 2" thick stuff? thats gonna take a while. Hope you do profit in the end though.


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## simi-steading

Nice chunk of change there... .

You're going to eat up a lot of gas cutting up that 2" stuff though. Hope you got large tanks.. I don't envy you though.. that's a crazy amount of work...


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## theemon

this is soo cool dude.... why not post it on craigslist?

i live near wv in ohio... i can think of a dozen creeks this could go acrossed... to bad i dont own any of them, or need this at all...

i would "construct" it over a low spot in your yard and make it ordimental


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## Tiempo

Be careful moving it, looks like it may be valuable troll habitat..you don't want to leave them homeless.


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## Darren

theemon said:


> this is soo cool dude.... why not post it on craigslist?
> 
> i live near wv in ohio... i can think of a dozen creeks this could go acrossed... to bad i dont own any of them, or need this at all...
> 
> i would "construct" it over a low spot in your yard and make it ordimental


Craigslist seems to force you to pick a city. If they had statewide listings it might be worthwhile.


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## cathleenc

It does force you to pick a city - but the consumer can use search engines like searchtempest to search ALL craigslists or craigslists within a certain mile radius. I often buy far out of my local city area if I need something in particular.

Free to list your bridge. I'd give it a try and post in several larger cities not too far from you and give it a month. Why not?


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## copperkid3

If nothing else . . . your post would likely be nominated for a 'best of craigslist' listing !!!


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## Darren

simi-steading said:


> Nice chunk of change there... .
> 
> You're going to eat up a lot of gas cutting up that 2" stuff though. Hope you got large tanks.. I don't envy you though.. that's a crazy amount of work...


Jerry will lend me a LOX tank. I've got 100# propane tanks. IIRC prepped is 2'x3'. The web isn't that thick. That means I'll start cutting along the top of the web where it meets the top flange, Then slice of 3' sections of the top flange. That means I should have about 100 cuts through the 3" stuff. The flanges are 16" wide. 

The offer of a finder's fee still stands if someone finds a buyer. I think I have transportation lined up.


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## Darren

Once I get a quote from the trucking companies, I may list it on Craigslist. Do you really thnk anyone is going to look for a bridge on Craigslist? I'm wondering if there's a way of getting a list of bridge contractors. Most folks won't have the ability to do what's needed. I was going to cheat and work it like a housemoving project.


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## frogmammy

May sound silly, BUT....they lost a lot of bridges in Louisiana during the hurricane...maybe send inquiry letters out to each county/parish there? Believe it or not, having a spare bridge for sale in Louisiana would NOT be that unusual.

Another thing...you know those "special magazines" they have for sale in some places...some list only motorcycles, or trucks, or tractors, or RV's? I BELIEVE I've seen one that does heavy equipment...you could try listing your bridge there. Since they sell equipment related to your bridge, someone looking through the magazine might know someone who needs your bridge!

Mon


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## stickinthemud

How far is this from a navigable waterway? Barge to Louisiana would be far cheaper than trucking that distance. Just thinking outside the box. (And knowing that Seashore Trolley Museum in Maine had a similar chunk of elevated railway shipped from Boston to Maine by barge.)


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## simi-steading

Hey Darren... If you do cut it up and save me a couple feet of that 2" plate I'd be happy to pay you for it....


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## melo143

Darrin 
Go to www.purplewave.com
They have online auctions you sell it and its on the buyer to do shipping, they sell anything from land to believe it or not bridges and highway equipment.
It would be a great way to sell and not even have to mess with loading, It might take a month to finish the sell but a 110 foot bridge will be an eye opener, they sell and advertise everywhere


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## Darren

melo143 said:


> Darrin
> Go to www.purplewave.com
> They have online auctions you sell it and its on the buyer to do shipping, they sell anything from land to believe it or not bridges and highway equipment.
> It would be a great way to sell and not even have to mess with loading, It might take a month to finish the sell but a 110 foot bridge will be an eye opener, they sell and advertise everywhere


Thanks! I'll give them a call. They state they have no reserve auctions. For something where's there's a high demand, that's not a problem. For something oddball, it means someone could buy it for less than scrap value if no one else bids.

If I have the scrap yard cut and haul it, it's worth between $5,000 and $7,000 depending on the hauling charges and the prep by the yard.


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## melo143

Well did you have any luck selling the bridge yet


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## Darren

melo143 said:


> Well did you have any luck selling the bridge yet


Nope! Looks like it's going to China ... in pieces.


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## simi-steading

So you found someone to scrap it Darren, or are you going to have to tear it apart yourself?


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## Darren

I'm leaning towards cutting it up myself and letting one of the contract scrap haulers do the hauling. I can leave it where it drops that way. I won't have to load it either.


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## frogmammy

So, I got bored....maybe something here might help...

Well, THESE people could use a bridge!
http://www.itulip.com/forums/showth...who-stole-40-ton-steel-bridge-in-Pennsylvania
They did catch the guys who did it
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...stealing-steel-bridge-haunted-prom-queen.html

Used bridges for sale
http://www.emcotx.com/content/Bridges_For_Sale/Bridges_For_Sale.asp

Ok, I know it's the UK but they MIGHT know a business here 
http://www.bridgesforsale.co.uk/

This guy might still need one
http://ask.metafilter.com/38337/Know-of-any-cheap-noninvasive-bridges

Mon


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