Shelby Street Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Shelby Street Bridge (sometimes called the Shelby Avenue Bridge) is a truss bridge
that spans the Cumberland River
in Nashville, Tennessee
, United States
. It was originally opened on July 5, 1909, and was reopened as a pedestrian bridge on August 3, 2003. The bridge spans 960 m (3,150 ft) and is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world.
The Shelby Street Bridge was originally known as the Sparkman Street Bridge and was built one block south of Broadway, connecting Sparkman Street and Shelby Avenue. The bridge was constructed at a cost of about $475,000. Another bridge called the Jefferson Street Bridge which was virtually identical to it was built at the same time. The Jefferson Street Bridge was opened a year after the Sparkman Street Bridge. The substructures of the bridges were light grey concrete, and the superstructures were made of steel that had been painted black.
The bridge was the first in North America to have concrete arched truss
es.
The bridge was designed and construction was supervised by Howard M. Jones, the chief office engineer of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
. The original architectural drawings as approved by Jones are archived at the Metro Transportation Offices.
.
Thirty years later, repair work had to be done again. The Standard Engineering Company of Albany, New York
was hired to repair the weathered bridge. They subcontracted the steel work to the Nashville Bridge Company. During this repair time, the Jefferson Street Bridge was also repaired.
, due mainly to the unique truss design. Both the Shelby Street Bridge and the Jefferson Street Bridge were considered. The Jefferson Street Bridge was rejected because of its similarity to the Shelby Street Bridge and the fact that the Shelby Street Bridge was in better condition. The Jefferson Street Bridge was demolished in 1990 to make way for a new bridge that could handle more traffic.
State inspectors declared the bridge to be in "poor" condition in 1992, and the bridge was closed to vehicular traffic in 1998. The bridge was originally slated for demolition. However, due to aesthetic, architectural, and historical considerations, it was decided that it should be converted to a pedestrian bridge rather than be demolished. The success of the Walnut Street Bridge
as a part of Chattanooga's
urban renewal efforts was a major consideration in keeping the bridge.
The bridge was refurbished and includes an elevator, ramps, and stairways. The bridge has a center lane that is fifteen feet across to accommodate bicycles. Originally it was thought that a trolley might use the center lane, but that idea was abandoned in favor of a bicycle lane. On each side of the bicycle lane are 10 feet (3 m) elevated boardwalk-style sidewalks. The bridge includes four scenic pedestrian overlooks that, in the metal of the railing, have artistic renderings of the history of life on the Cumberland River. The bridge is dramatically lit at night.
The refurbished bridge is part of the Metro Nashville Greenway
system, which is administered by the Parks Department. The Eastern terminus includes a pedestrian plaza with special landscaping and is very close to LP Field
. The Western terminus comes out facing the Schermerhorn Symphony Center
and is very close to the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Bridgestone Arena.
The refurbishment of the bridge cost in excess of $15 million and was done under the supervision and planning of the Tennessee Department of Transportation
. A new bridge called The Gateway Bridge was built to handle the vehicle traffic that used to travel over the Shelby Street Bridge.
", the first hit single by Big & Rich
, was shot entirely on the Shelby Street Bridge. The video for Emerson Drive
's 2007 hit single "Moments
" was also filmed on and under the bridge. Several scenes from the 2011 video for "Together You and I" by Dolly Parton
were filmed on the 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...
that spans the Cumberland River
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was originally opened on July 5, 1909, and was reopened as a pedestrian bridge on August 3, 2003. The bridge spans 960 m (3,150 ft) and is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world.
Early history
The bridge was the first in North America to have concrete arched 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...
es.
The bridge was designed and construction was supervised by Howard M. Jones, the chief office engineer of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway was a railway company operating in the southern United States in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia...
. The original architectural drawings as approved by Jones are archived at the Metro Transportation Offices.
Repair work
After twenty-five years of use, it became apparent that there was something wrong with the concrete on the Sparkman Street Bridge. The worn surfaces of the concrete were chipped away between 1927 and 1930 and replaced with guniteShotcrete
Shotcrete is concrete conveyed through a hose and pneumatically projected at high velocity onto a surface, as a construction technique....
.
Thirty years later, repair work had to be done again. The Standard Engineering Company of Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
was hired to repair the weathered bridge. They subcontracted the steel work to the Nashville Bridge Company. During this repair time, the Jefferson Street Bridge was also repaired.
National Register of Historic Places
In 1998 the Shelby Street Bridge was admitted to the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, due mainly to the unique truss design. Both the Shelby Street Bridge and the Jefferson Street Bridge were considered. The Jefferson Street Bridge was rejected because of its similarity to the Shelby Street Bridge and the fact that the Shelby Street Bridge was in better condition. The Jefferson Street Bridge was demolished in 1990 to make way for a new bridge that could handle more traffic.
Closure and reopening
Walnut Street Bridge (Tennessee)
The Walnut Street Bridge is a truss bridge that spans the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, Tennessee.Built in 1890, it was the first to connect Chattanooga's downtown with the North Shore. According to the plaque on the bridge, Edwin Thatcher was the chief engineer for the bridge...
as a part of Chattanooga's
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
urban renewal efforts was a major consideration in keeping the bridge.
The bridge was refurbished and includes an elevator, ramps, and stairways. The bridge has a center lane that is fifteen feet across to accommodate bicycles. Originally it was thought that a trolley might use the center lane, but that idea was abandoned in favor of a bicycle lane. On each side of the bicycle lane are 10 feet (3 m) elevated boardwalk-style sidewalks. The bridge includes four scenic pedestrian overlooks that, in the metal of the railing, have artistic renderings of the history of life on the Cumberland River. The bridge is dramatically lit at night.
The refurbished bridge is part of the Metro Nashville Greenway
Greenway
-People:* Barney Greenway , British death metal vocalist* Brian Greenway , Canadian guitarist and vocalist* Chad Greenway , American football player* Francis Greenway , Australian architect...
system, which is administered by the Parks Department. The Eastern terminus includes a pedestrian plaza with special landscaping and is very close to LP Field
LP Field
LP Field is a football stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County....
. The Western terminus comes out facing the Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Schermerhorn Symphony Center is a symphony center in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Ground was broken for construction on December 3, 2003. The center formally opened on September 9, 2006, with a gala concert conducted by Leonard Slatkin and broadcast by PBS affiliates throughout the state...
and is very close to the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Bridgestone Arena.
The refurbishment of the bridge cost in excess of $15 million and was done under the supervision and planning of the Tennessee Department of Transportation
Tennessee Department of Transportation
The Tennessee Department of Transportation is a multimodal agency with statewide responsibilities in aviation, public transit, waterways and railroads...
. A new bridge called The Gateway Bridge was built to handle the vehicle traffic that used to travel over the Shelby Street Bridge.
Music videos
Due to the bridge's iconic status as a Nashville landmark, it is often seen in country music videos. The video for "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)
"Save a Horse " was the title of a song written and recorded by American country music duo Big & Rich. It was released in April 2004 as the second single from their 2004 debut album, Horse of a Different Color. It reached number 11 on the U.S. Billboard US Country chart...
", the first hit single by Big & Rich
Big & Rich
Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich. Both members alternate as lead vocalists and play rhythm guitar...
, was shot entirely on the Shelby Street Bridge. The video for Emerson Drive
Emerson Drive
Emerson Drive is a country music band founded in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada in 1995. The band is Brad Mates , Danick Dupelle , Mike Melancon , Dale Wallace , and David Pichette .Early on, the band found minor success in Canada, releasing two albums under the name of 12 Gauge, the first Open...
's 2007 hit single "Moments
Moments (Emerson Drive song)
"Moments" is a song by Canadian country music band Emerson Drive. Released in both Canada and the United States, the song was a Top Five hit on the Canadian country music charts. It also reached Number One on the Billboard U.S. Hot Country Songs charts, becoming the first Number One single not only...
" was also filmed on and under the bridge. Several scenes from the 2011 video for "Together You and I" by Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
were filmed on the bridge.