Wells River Bridge

The Wells River Bridge between Wells River, Vermont and Woodsville, New Hampshire, is a steel double-decked Baltimore truss bridge over the Connecticut River. It was built in 1903 to carry rail and road traffic.

Wells River Bridge
Wells River Bridge in 2007
Coordinates	44°09′15″N 72°02′26″W
Crosses	Connecticut River
Locale	between Woodsville, New Hampshire and Wells River, Vermont
Official name	Veterans Memorial Bridge
Characteristics
Design	steel pin-connected Baltimore truss[1]
Total length	253 feet (77 m)[1]
History
Construction end	1805, 1853, 1903, reopened 2001-2003
Location

History

The first bridge at this crossing was built in 1805.^[1][2] In 1853, the Boston, Concord, & Montreal Railroad built a double-decked wooden Burr truss covered bridge over the Connecticut River on this alignment.^[2] The railroad collected tolls from users of the highway.^[2]

The current Wells River Bridge was built in 1903 by the Boston & Maine Railroad, which took over the route, to carry rail and road traffic, to replace the previous bridge.^[1][2] In 1917, the road traffic was rerouted over a new bridge just downstream, called the Ranger Bridge.^[1][2] The railroad continued to use this bridge until no later than 2001, when it was used for vehicle traffic while the Ranger Bridge was being rehabilitated.^[2] As of 2007, this bridge is fenced off and unused.

See also

• List of crossings of the Connecticut River