"Steamboat Bill" Memorial Bridges
USA /
Alabama /
Sweet Water /
U.S. Highways 31 & 72 Alternate/Alabama Highway 20 (Bee Line Highway)
World
/ USA
/ Alabama
/ Sweet Water
World / United States / Alabama
bridge, road bridge
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The "Steamboat Bill" Memorial Bridges are two bridges that span one of the widest points along the Tennessee River within the City of Decatur, Alabama, between Morgan County, and Limestone County. One is a cantilever truss, and the other is a reinforced concrete. The bridges carry US 31, Alternate US 72, and Alabama State Route 20 from the intersection of Wilson Street (Alternate US 72, and Alabama 20), and 6th Avenue (US 31) in Northeast Decatur.
The first bridge built here was the William Keller Bridge, completed in 1928. This drawbridge served as the primary until the cantilever truss bridge was built in 1963. The Keller Bridge carried the southbound traffic and the new bridge carried the northbound traffic. As time moved on the currents of the Tennessee River changed and running barges through the narrow gap created by the drawbridge became more dangerous, and the bridge was hit several times by barges. Also, with the amount of traffic carried by the road, the drawbridge could produce mile long traffic jams. In 1999 the new concrete bridge opened. Northbound traffic was shifted to the new bridge, southbound was moved to the cantilever bridge, and the Keller Bridge was removed.
The first bridge built here was the William Keller Bridge, completed in 1928. This drawbridge served as the primary until the cantilever truss bridge was built in 1963. The Keller Bridge carried the southbound traffic and the new bridge carried the northbound traffic. As time moved on the currents of the Tennessee River changed and running barges through the narrow gap created by the drawbridge became more dangerous, and the bridge was hit several times by barges. Also, with the amount of traffic carried by the road, the drawbridge could produce mile long traffic jams. In 1999 the new concrete bridge opened. Northbound traffic was shifted to the new bridge, southbound was moved to the cantilever bridge, and the Keller Bridge was removed.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_William_J._Hudson_"Steamboat_Bill"_Memorial_Bridges
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 34°37'10"N 86°57'54"W
- Exits 340A-B: I-65/I-565-U.S. Alternate Highway 72-Alabama Highway 20 (Corridor V) interchange 5.3 km
- I-65 Tennessee River bridge 5.5 km
- Whitesburg Bridge 36 km
- I-565/U.S. Alternate Highway 72 (Corridor V)-U.S. HIghway 231/U.S. Highway 431 (Memorial Parkway) interchange 36 km
- Bob Jones Bridge 90 km
- B.B. Comer Bridge 90 km
- Rt 96/Natchez Trace Intersection/Location Concrete Double Arch Bridge 152 km
- Dupont Pkwy Bridge 165 km
- Bridge 167 km
- Hwy. 60 bridge 198 km
- Chemstrand - Monsanto - Solutia Nylon Intermediates production 5.1 km
- BP Chemical (formally Amoco Chemicals) 9 km
- United Launch Alliance 10 km
- Nucor Steel Decatur LLC 11 km
- Morgan County Regional Landfill 12 km
- Tanner, Alabama 12 km
- Mazda Toyota Mfg. USA 13 km
- Canebrake Golf Club 16 km
- Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant 17 km
- Morgan County, Alabama 19 km