Sunday, October 2, 2016

9:40 AM

Mystic, CT  2014

In answer to a question posed by a follower of mine on a previous post, the Mystic River Bridge is a bascule bridge.  Each of the concrete counterweights weighs about 209 tons, which only partially offsets the weight of the approximately 600 ton weight of the main span.  Lifting the bridge requires two, 1400 lb, 40 horsepower direct current electric motors.  During the season it raises at 40 minutes past the hour, as shown here.


When lowered,  the bridge carries close to 12,000 vehicles a day, traveling on US 1, across the Mystic River.  It is quite the tourist attraction in Mystic, and as longtime followers of this blog know, a favorite subject of mine to photograph when in Mystic.

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