Arenas Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Arenas Bridge between the municipalities of Cayey
and Cidra
, is a truss bridge
built in 1894. Also known as Puente Rio La Plata, it was the longest bridge constructed in Puerto Rico during the Spanish colonial period. It crosses the Rio de la Plata
, the longest river in Puerto Rico. According to the U.S. National Park Service, "[t]his is the most important metal bridge in Puerto Rico from the period." The bridge is still standing.
The bridge was built as "part of the Carretera Central
, the first highway across the central mountains of Puerto Rico." The Carretera Central, a 134 kilometer highway between San Juan
and the port of Ponce
was largely completed by 1886, with temporary bridges in place at some crossings and 13 permanent bridges completed. The installation of the permanent Arenas Bridge in 1894 was near the completion of the Carretera in 1898.
Because of scarcity of iron in Puerto Rico, there were no metal fabricators in the country. Instead, bridges like this were fabricated overseas and shipped in parts to Puerto Rico. A Spanish government agent in Paris secured international bids, largely from French and Belgian firms, for bridges to be built in the overseas colonies of Spain. The Arenas Bridge itself was fabricated by Nicrisse and Decluve, a Belgian firm, and was shipped on the steamship Teutonia
to Puerto Rico for assembly.
An alternative to a truss bridge
would have been a suspension bridge
design, which was a well-developed technology for long spans before the Arenas Bridge was built. However there were no truly long spans in Puerto Rico that would have absolutely required a suspension bridge in colonial times, as there are no particularly wide rivers or canyons, and chief engineer Manuel Sanchez-Nunez assessed that suspension bridges were unsuited to the tropical climate, even removing, a few years later, one that had been constructed in Caguas
in 1857. As a result, suspension bridge technology was not widely employed in Puerto Rico. Even today it is believed that there are only three suspension bridges in the commonwealth, one being a modern pedestrian bridge in Bayamon
.
The bridge was designed by Mariano Sichar. A steel truss
bridge, it weighed 23,623 pounds and was contracted to be built for 56,221 pesos. Stone abutments to support the bridge were constructed under supervision of José Roque-Paniagua; engineer Julio Larrinaga oversaw assembly of the bridge.
It brings what is now Puerto Rico Route 735 over Rio de la Plata between Barrio Monte Llano and Barrio Arenas. It is between the municipalities of Cayey
and Cidra
.
In the Spanish-American war, American forces moved from south to north over the Carretara Central. Another Carretera bridge was demolished by the Spanish to delay the American advance, but not Arenas Bridge.
Cayey, Puerto Rico
Cayey is a mountain town in central Puerto Rico located on the Central Mountain range, north of Salinas and Guayama; south of Cidra and Caguas; east of Aibonito and Salinas; and west of San Lorenzo Cayey is spread over 21 wards and Cayey Pueblo...
and Cidra
Cidra, Puerto Rico
Cidra is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the central region of the island, north of Cayey; south of Comerío and Aguas Buenas; east of Aibonito and Barranquitas; and west of Caguas. Cidra is spread over 12 wards and Cidra Pueblo...
, is a truss bridge
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
built in 1894. Also known as Puente Rio La Plata, it was the longest bridge constructed in Puerto Rico during the Spanish colonial period. It crosses the Rio de la Plata
Rio de la Plata (Puerto Rico)
The Rio de la Plata is the longest river in the island of Puerto Rico. It is located in the north coast of the island. It flows from south to north, and drains into the Atlantic Ocean about 11 miles west of San Juan...
, the longest river in Puerto Rico. According to the U.S. National Park Service, "[t]his is the most important metal bridge in Puerto Rico from the period." The bridge is still standing.
The bridge was built as "part of the Carretera Central
Carretera Central (Puerto Rico)
-Route description:The highway runs from San Juan, the largest city in Puerto Rico, located on the north coast to Ponce, the second largest, on the south coast, via Caguas, Cayey, Aibonito, Coamo, and Juana Diaz...
, the first highway across the central mountains of Puerto Rico." The Carretera Central, a 134 kilometer highway between San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
and the port of Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
was largely completed by 1886, with temporary bridges in place at some crossings and 13 permanent bridges completed. The installation of the permanent Arenas Bridge in 1894 was near the completion of the Carretera in 1898.
Because of scarcity of iron in Puerto Rico, there were no metal fabricators in the country. Instead, bridges like this were fabricated overseas and shipped in parts to Puerto Rico. A Spanish government agent in Paris secured international bids, largely from French and Belgian firms, for bridges to be built in the overseas colonies of Spain. The Arenas Bridge itself was fabricated by Nicrisse and Decluve, a Belgian firm, and was shipped on the steamship Teutonia
Teutonia (ship)
The Teutonia was a ship that was built by Caird & Company, Greenock, Scotland for the Hamburg-Brazilian Line in 1856. It served until 1894, when it was scrapped. It was a 2,693 gross ton ship.-Voyages:...
to Puerto Rico for assembly.
An alternative to a truss bridge
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
would have been a suspension bridge
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
design, which was a well-developed technology for long spans before the Arenas Bridge was built. However there were no truly long spans in Puerto Rico that would have absolutely required a suspension bridge in colonial times, as there are no particularly wide rivers or canyons, and chief engineer Manuel Sanchez-Nunez assessed that suspension bridges were unsuited to the tropical climate, even removing, a few years later, one that had been constructed in Caguas
Caguas, Puerto Rico
Caguas , founded in 1775, is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey....
in 1857. As a result, suspension bridge technology was not widely employed in Puerto Rico. Even today it is believed that there are only three suspension bridges in the commonwealth, one being a modern pedestrian bridge in Bayamon
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
.
The bridge was designed by Mariano Sichar. A steel truss
Truss
In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in...
bridge, it weighed 23,623 pounds and was contracted to be built for 56,221 pesos. Stone abutments to support the bridge were constructed under supervision of José Roque-Paniagua; engineer Julio Larrinaga oversaw assembly of the bridge.
It brings what is now Puerto Rico Route 735 over Rio de la Plata between Barrio Monte Llano and Barrio Arenas. It is between the municipalities of Cayey
Cayey, Puerto Rico
Cayey is a mountain town in central Puerto Rico located on the Central Mountain range, north of Salinas and Guayama; south of Cidra and Caguas; east of Aibonito and Salinas; and west of San Lorenzo Cayey is spread over 21 wards and Cayey Pueblo...
and Cidra
Cidra, Puerto Rico
Cidra is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the central region of the island, north of Cayey; south of Comerío and Aguas Buenas; east of Aibonito and Barranquitas; and west of Caguas. Cidra is spread over 12 wards and Cidra Pueblo...
.
In the Spanish-American war, American forces moved from south to north over the Carretara Central. Another Carretera bridge was demolished by the Spanish to delay the American advance, but not Arenas Bridge.