Historic Warren Through Truss Bridge of Woodstock, Vermont

The Woodstock Warren Through Truss Bridge was a historic metal bridge that carried Bridges Road across the Ottauquechee River in western Woodstock, Vermont. Constructed around 1925, the single-span structure served local transportation infrastructure before its destruction by flooding in 2011. It was recognized for its distinctive engineering design as a double-intersection Warren through truss and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

The bridge was located in western Woodstock, positioned between the villages of West Woodstock and Bridgewater. The Ottauquechee River flows eastward through the area, paralleled to the north by U.S. Route 4. On the southern side of the river, Bridges Road runs westward from the West Woodstock Bridge, terminating at the former site of the crossing.

Architectural Characteristics

The bridge measured 121 feet (37 meters) in length with a roadway width of 12.2 feet (3.7 meters) and a portal clearance of 16.4 feet (5.0 meters). Its structural framework utilized Warren trusses that deviated from standard configurations by incorporating additional diagonal members. These extra elements increased the load-bearing capacity of the span, making it a rare example of a double-intersection Warren through truss within the state of Vermont.

History and Demise

Constructed in 1925 as part of local transportation upgrades undertaken by the town, the bridge withstood major regional weather events, including the historic floods of 1927. In recognition of its architectural and engineering heritage, the structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Eighty-six years after its construction, the bridge was swept away by severe flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Irene in August 2011.