The East Navidad River Bridge, also known as the State Highway 3 Bridge at East Navidad River, is a historic concrete bridge that carries
FM 1579 across the
East Navidad River about 3.4 miles (5.5 km) east of
Schulenberg in
Fayette County, Texas.[2] The 199-foot-long (61 m) cantilever bridge has a 70-foot (21 m) center span. Concrete piers and abutments support the two cantilever arms.[2] The total width of the bridge is 21.17 feet (6.45 m), providing an 18-foot-wide (5.5 m) roadway.[3] The bridge gives the appearance of an arch but is in fact two cantilevered arms joined in the center of the main span and anchored and countered at the ends.[2] Concrete piers with skewed abutments provide support.[3]
It was a joint project of the state of
Texas and Fayette county. Funding originated at the federal level with the Federal Aid Act of 1921 and continued with State Aid Project No. 256 A and county contributions.[3] Completed in November 1922 it was designed by Armour Townsend Granger who is listed as designer on the name plates of the bridge, as engineer by the Texas Department of Highways but as draftsman in employment records.[3] The State Bridge Engineer was George Wickline. Jerome Peyton Kearby, Jr. was the Fayette County Resident Engineer. Lake Robertson was the contractor.[2]
Photo gallery
HAER photographs of the East Navidad River Bridge from 2001
East approach looking west
Looking east under the bridge from close to the east side the east abutment is seen
Looking west from the east side of the central span from below the skewed substructure is seen
South exposure detail showing chamfered corners and incised panels