historic context of maryland highway bridges built between 1948 ...

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SECTIONFIVEConsulting Engineers and ContractorsWHITMAN, REQUARDT & ASSOCIATES, LLPEzra Whitman was given the first Chairmanship of the Maryland‘s State Roads Commission in1939. Whitman founded his firm in 1915. The company was reorganized twice: once in 1925,when it became Whitman, Requardt and Smith, and again in 1943, when Benjamin Smith boughtout portions of the company (URS Corporation 2004: 23).This company designed the I 895 Bridge (B-4632) (Bridge No. BC07800) over the CSX(formerly Baltimore & Ohio) Railroad tracks in 1957 (Maryland Transportation Authority nodate). The designers chose a highly unusual K truss design (Whalen 2000).In the 1960s, Whitman, Requardt & Associates, LLP, began to provide services in highwaytransportation and building design. In the 1970s the company expanded into marine engineering.The firm designed two of the largest graving docks in the world for their clients, BethlehemShipbuilding and the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company (URS Corporation2004: 23).Whitman, Requardt & Associates, LLP, also participated in the planning and design of subways,stations, and aerial line structure for both the Baltimore Region Rapid Transit and theWashington Mass Transit Authority Systems. The firm presently provides planning and designservices to the Maryland Mass Transit Authority. Whitman, Requardt & Associates, LLP, isbased out of Baltimore, Maryland, and has six branch offices that serve the Mid-Atlantic region.WILSON T. BALLARDCornell University engineering graduate Wilson T. Ballard served as the chief engineer ofMaryland‘s State Roads Commission for eight years in the early, mid-twentieth century. Ballardstarted his civil engineering company, Wilson T. Ballard Company, in the spring of 1948. Overthe past 55 years, Wilson T. Ballard Company has primarily worked with government agencieswithin the Middle Atlantic region. The company provides consultant civil engineering services,with an emphasis in the planning and design of highways, bridges, water distribution, sewagecollection, and related facilities. Clients have included the University of Maryland, TowsonUniversity, and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (URS Corporation 2004: 22-23). In 1958, thiscompany worked on the designs for Bridge No. B147. This bascule span bridge carries thePeninsula Expressway over Bear Creek (Suffness 1992: 8).\15-SEP-11\\ 6-5
SECTIONSIXResults of Field Investigations7. Section 5 F IVE Resu lts of Field Investigat ionsSHA in consultation with MIHP and FHWA had previously chosen a total of 21 bridgesrepresenting 12 bridge types built during period 1948 – 1960 to be included in an update of theexisting bridge survey.7.1 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES ELIGIBILITYAs part of the scope of work for this project, the 21 highway bridges built in the 1948-1960period surveyed in 2003 by URS for SHA were evaluated for their eligibility for listing in theNational Register of Historic Places (National Register). The National Register Criteria forEvaluation (contained in Bulletin 15-How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation)identify the range of resources and kinds of significance that will qualify properties for listing inthe National Register. The Criteria (known individually as Criteria A, B, C, and D) are writtenbroadly to recognize the wide variety of historic properties associated with the nation‘s historyand pre-history. In addition, both the Maryland Historical Trust and the Maryland HistoricBridge Inventory1809-1960 (Spero and Berger & Associates 1995) have developed generalevaluation standards for historic bridges. These standards involve a series of research questionsthat aid in defining the historical significance of the bridge not only as an individual built entity,but as part of the larger transportation network. These research questions guided URS in thedevelopment of National Register eligibility recommendations for the surveyed bridges.Criterion A“Properties can be eligible for the National Register if they are associated with events that havemade a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history.”A bridge may be eligible if it is the span directly associated with a political, economic, social ormilitary event (or series of events) significant in local, regional, state, or national history. Bridgescan be considered eligible if they are associated with significant transportation events such as thedevelopment of turnpikes and highways, highway improvements, or an important crossing of arailroad or waterway. Many bridges are associated with State and local government attempts toimprove roadway safety, to improve accessibility, or to provide more direct routes to or around acommunity.Evaluating a single structure, such as a bridge, for the National Register under Criterion Ainvolves conducting intensive research on the bridge‘s construction history, the history ofprevious bridges at this location (if any) and the history of the surrounding communities whichthis bridge or the associated roadway is linked. The evaluation should establish ―specificassociations with the continuance of watercourse crossings related to historic transportation,communities, industrial or agricultural sites‖(Spero and Berger & Associates 1995: C-4).As with the other three National Register Criteria, a bridge can be significant on the local,regional, state, or national level. An example of a highway bridge in Maryland dating from the1948-1960 period considered eligible for the National Register under Criterion A on the locallevel is the Sang Run Road Bridge (Bridge G06400) in Garrett County. The bridge is associatedwith the historical development of the surrounding Sang Run community. Research reveals that abridge at this location crossing the Youghiogheny River was first built as early as 1828. This firstbridge was rebuilt in 1863, and the stone piers of this bridge probably serve to support thepresent bridge. The Sang Run area grew in popularity with the improvements made to Swallow\15-SEP-11\\ 7-1
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Page 48 and 49: SECTIONSIXResults of Field Investig
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SECTIONSEVENConclusion and Recommen
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SECTIONEIGHTReferences CitedCorddry
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SECTIONEIGHTReferences CitedKaszyns
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SECTIONEIGHTReferences CitedSeely,
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Appendix A1948-1960 Maryland Bridge
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Appendix BMaryland Bridges By Type
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Appendix CResumes of Key Personnel\
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Appendix DNotes From August 25, 200
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Appendix DNotes From August 25, 200
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