Bynum Bridge
Old NC 75 Crossing of the Haw River
This 1922-constructed concrete tee-beam bridge is one of the most significant remaining structures of North Carolina's early highway-building period. During the 1920s a large number of these tee-beam bridges were built under Governor Cameron Morrison's "Good Roads" program that oversaw the construction of the state's first paved highways. These early examples of standardized concrete bridge construction featured deck widths of 17-20 feet (probably wide enough for most cars of the period), three parallel beams per span, and recessed railings and piers. A relatively large number of these structures remain; some have been widened and remain in use on main NC and US routes, while others are in a largely unmodified state, located on old highway alignments, as is the case with the Bynum Bridge. Of all the remaining examples, the Bynum Bridge is the most significant, as it is the longest remaining bridge of its type in the state. Fortunately, this historic structure preserved for non-motorized use, giving people a unique place to enjoy the Haw River from above.
Compared to the breathtaking Wil-Cox Bridge, an arch bridge built over the Yadkin River in the same year, this structure has somewhat of a dull and utilitarian appearance, unfit for its scenic location. From below it reminds one of the underside of a house, with squarish blocks of concrete holding up beams; the only aspect meant to be pleasing to the eye is the railing. Ignoring its structural design, however, one is able to discern certain points of beauty in the bridge: the repetition of the piers as the line of the structure vanishes off into the distance; the tannish stains of the piers that give it a weathered appearance of sandstone, making it appear as a modern equivalent to a Roman Aqueduct.
Facts
- Year built: 1922
- Carries: Non-motorized traffic (formerly NC 75, then US 15-501; later, Bynum Road).
- Crosses: Haw River
- Location: Bynum, Chatham County, NC
- Design: 19-span concrete tee-beam bridge
- Length of a span: 43 ft. Total length: 806.1 ft.
- Inside width: 17.1 ft., one lane
- Coordinates: 35.772125, -79.144397
Pictures
- Left: an oblique view of many spans, emphasizing the bridge's length. Center: a single span. Right: a view across the deck, facing south.
- Left: a single pier, showing the tee-beam construction. Center: the 1920s recessed railing style on the bridge. Right: the bridge plaque.