Bascule Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Normand Edward Fontaine Bridge is a 1025 feet (312.4 m)-long bascule bridge
at 41.517258°N 71.06799°W in Westport
, Massachusetts
, USA
. Four lanes of Route 88 pass over the bridge from Westport Point and Wood Point in the Westport Point
section of town to the Horseneck Beach State Reservation
, connecting with Cherry & Webb Lane and, eventually, John Reed Road when Route 88 officially ends 0.3 miles south of the bridge's southern end.
The bridge, whose bascule channel spans 75 feet (22.9 m), crosses over the East Branch of the Westport River
, just east of where that branch begins. The branch itself also branches at this point, with the main portion of the river turning north around Wood Point, and the Horseneck Channel to The Let leading southeastward.
The bridge, originally known as the Westport River Bridge, was built in 1958 to carry Route 88 to the Horseneck Beach State Reservation. It was renamed in 1983 for Specialist 4th Class Normand Edward Fontaine, a Westport resident who was killed in the line of duty during the Vietnam War
. The rehabilitation and resurfacing of the bridge began in 2003, taking several years.
Bascule bridge
A bascule bridge is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances the span, or "leaf," throughout the entire upward swing in providing clearance for boat traffic....
at 41.517258°N 71.06799°W in Westport
Westport, Massachusetts
Westport is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 15,532 at the 2010 census.The village of North Westport lies in the town.- History :...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Four lanes of Route 88 pass over the bridge from Westport Point and Wood Point in the Westport Point
Westport Point Historic District
Westport Point Historic District is a historic district on Main Street from Charles Street to West Branch, Westport Road, including Cape Bial and Valentine Lanes in Westport, Massachusetts....
section of town to the Horseneck Beach State Reservation
Horseneck Beach State Reservation
The Horseneck Beach State Reservation is a large public state beach reservation on Westport River, Westport Harbor, Horseneck Channel, The Let, Rhode Island Sound, and Buzzards Bay, in the southern portion of the town of Westport, Massachusetts, USA....
, connecting with Cherry & Webb Lane and, eventually, John Reed Road when Route 88 officially ends 0.3 miles south of the bridge's southern end.
The bridge, whose bascule channel spans 75 feet (22.9 m), crosses over the East Branch of the Westport River
Westport River
The Westport River lies between Narragansett Bay and Buzzards Bay in Westport, Massachusetts.-Description:The Westport River has two branches. The smaller West Branch is approximately long, rising from a confluence of brooks near the village of Adamsville, Rhode Island...
, just east of where that branch begins. The branch itself also branches at this point, with the main portion of the river turning north around Wood Point, and the Horseneck Channel to The Let leading southeastward.
The bridge, originally known as the Westport River Bridge, was built in 1958 to carry Route 88 to the Horseneck Beach State Reservation. It was renamed in 1983 for Specialist 4th Class Normand Edward Fontaine, a Westport resident who was killed in the line of duty during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The rehabilitation and resurfacing of the bridge began in 2003, taking several years.