Matthew E. Welsh Bridge
Encyclopedia
Matthew E. Welsh Bridge is a two-lane, single-deck continuous truss bridge
on the Ohio River
. The bridge connects Kentucky Route 79
and Indiana State Road 135
, as well as the communities of Brandenburg, Kentucky
and Mauckport, Indiana
.
It is 3098 ft (944.3 m) long and was built at a cost of 5.5 million dollars, financed mainly by the State of Indiana. The truss portion of the bridge is continuous across two 725 ft (221 m) spans. Construction of the bridge began in August 1964 and the bridge was opened to traffic on November 19, 1966.
The bridge was named after Matthew E. Welsh
, the 41st governor of Indiana.
Although 90% of the bridge is within the Commonwealth of Kentucky, it is owned and maintained by the State of Indiana.
Continuous truss bridge
A continuous truss bridge is a truss bridge which extends without hinges or joints across three or more supports. A continuous truss bridge may use less material than a series of simple trusses because a continuous truss distributes live loads across all the spans; in a series of simple trusses,...
on the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. The bridge connects Kentucky Route 79
Kentucky Route 79
Kentucky Route 79 originates at a junction with US 431 in downtown Russellville in Logan County. The route continues through Morgantown, Caneyville, Short Creek, Cannons Point, Harned, and Irvington, to terminate at the Ohio River near Brandenburg in Meade County, where, after crossing the Matthew E...
and Indiana State Road 135
Indiana State Road 135
State Road 135 in the U.S. State of Indiana is a road that connects Indianapolis with the Ohio River; for the most part it is a two-lane road.-Route description:The southern terminus is the Matthew E. Welsh Bridge on the east side of Mauckport...
, as well as the communities of Brandenburg, Kentucky
Brandenburg, Kentucky
Brandenburg is a city in Meade County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,049 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Meade County.-History:...
and Mauckport, Indiana
Mauckport, Indiana
Mauckport is a town in Heth Township, Harrison County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 81 at the 2010 census.-History:In the earliest times Daniel Boone and his brothers, most notably Squire Boone, were regularly in the area of Mauckport. Squire Boone settled in the area in 1806...
.
It is 3098 ft (944.3 m) long and was built at a cost of 5.5 million dollars, financed mainly by the State of Indiana. The truss portion of the bridge is continuous across two 725 ft (221 m) spans. Construction of the bridge began in August 1964 and the bridge was opened to traffic on November 19, 1966.
The bridge was named after Matthew E. Welsh
Matthew E. Welsh
Matthew Empson Welsh was the 41st Governor of Indiana from the Democratic Party, serving from 1961 to 1965. His term as governor saw a major increase in statewide taxation, including the first state sales tax, and the passage of a several important civil rights bills making Indiana one of the most...
, the 41st governor of Indiana.
Although 90% of the bridge is within the Commonwealth of Kentucky, it is owned and maintained by the State of Indiana.