Rio Puerco Bridge
The Rio Puerco Bridge is a Parker through truss bridge located on historic U.S. Route 66 (US 66) in western Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States, that is listed on the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties and the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).[1]
Rio Puerco Bridge | |
![]() Photo in 2006 shows it is already out of service | |
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Nearest city | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
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Coordinates | 35°02′01″N 106°56′32″W |
Area | less than one acre |
Built | 1933 |
Built by | Kansas City Structural Steel Company; F.D. Shufflebarger |
Architectural style | Parker through truss bridge |
MPS | Historic Highway Bridges of New Mexico MPS |
NRHP reference No. | 97000735[1] |
NMSRCP No. | 1662[2] |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | July 15, 1997 |
Designated NMSRCP | May 9, 1997 |
Description
![](../I/Old_Rio_Puerco_Bridge_on_Old_Route_66%252C_Bernalillo_County_NM.jpg.webp)
The bridge crosses the Rio Puerco and was built in 1933. It is located approximately 19 miles (31 km) west of Albuquerque.
It was built to carry a past alignment of US 66 over the Rio Puerco, and in 1997 carried a frontage road for Interstate 40 (I-40).[3] It no longer carries traffic, and has been bypassed by a different frontage road bridge.[4]
The single-span Parker through truss steel bridge was fabricated by the Kansas City Structural Steel Company and built by F.D. Shufflebarger in 1933. Its substructure includes two concrete piers and massive concrete abutments set upon timber pilings. The total bridge length is 330 feet (100 m), including the 250 feet (76 m) span, which has ten 25 feet (7.6 m) panels, and two 40 feet (12 m) approaches.[3]
It is located 40 yards (37 m) north of the I-40, about 8.9 miles (14.3 km) west of I-40 westernmost exit at Albuquerque.[3]
The bridge was added to the NRHP July 15, 1997.[1]
References
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- "State and National Register Spreadsheet" (Excel). New Mexico Department of Historic Preservation. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
- Kammer, David (December 1996). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Rio Puerco Bridge / NMSHTD #2530". National Park Service. Retrieved October 29, 2018. With accompanying three photos from 1984
- Google (October 7, 2021). "Rio Puerco Bridge" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved October 7, 2021. (as well as by 2006 and 2012 photos)