1912 / 1933 Greenspot Road bridge over the Santa Ana River
The Greenspot Road bridge, locally known as the “Erector Set Bridge” has an interesting history. It was originally built in 1912 located near Victorville at the Mojave Narrows. In 1932, the bridge was dismantled and replaced with a wider span for US Highway 66. In 1933, San Bernardino County purchased a portion of the span and rebuilt it over the Santa Ana River between Mentone and Highland. The bridge remained in general use until 2015 when it was bypassed by a new bridge to the west. Today, the bridge is a part of a bicycle trail along the Santa Ana River.
To get to the bridge, use either the 5th St / Greenspot Road exit on State 210 (Exit 83) from the west or via State 38 (Mill Creek Road) and Garnet St from the east.
“Crossroads Interchange” in 1958. Courtesy – Caltrans
This photo shows the I-10 / I-215 interchange in San Bernardino, California as it existed in 1958. At the time, those numbers didn’t quite exist. Back then, this was the junction of US 70, US 91, US 99, US 395, and State 18. The view is looking south along what is now I-215 with the Santa Ana River bridges in the foreground. The bridge to the left was US 99 until the 1930’s. The two bridges to the right are still around, though widened.
Looking up the canyon from the West Fork San Gabriel River Bridge (53-2244). Taken in 2016.
Looking toward South Mount Hawkins in the West Fork San Gabriel Canyon from State 39. This road was planned to be improved but landslides prevented this work from being completed. In the case of this area, almost all of the low lying areas not covered in snow are landslides in one form or another. Even Crystal Lake, where this roadway is headed, exists because of landslides.
On September 5, 1876, the golden spike was driven near Lang, California on the Southern Pacific Railroad line connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles. That line would bring the sleepy town of Los Angeles into a spotlight that persists to this day. A small train station was built near the site, which served as an access to local mines and ranching. For a time, it also served as a transfer point for a small railroad that ran up nearby Tick Canyon that served a borax mine. By the late 1960’s, the railroads were eliminating many smaller stations as technology was making them obsolete. Lang Station was torn down and the debris was unceremoniously pushed into the river bed of the Santa Clara River. Bits of the station can still be seen today. This photo shows the station and surrounding buildings in 1967. Lang Station was located just east of Santa Clarita near the Antelope Valley Freeway (SR-14) and Soledad Canyon Road interchange.
US Highway 6, now known as Sierra Highway, crossed the Santa Clara River near Solemint, California. The bridge it originally used, constructed in 1938, is planned to be replaced in the near future. This bridge is one of the oldest remaining in the Santa Clarita area and is the longest span on former US 6 in California. The bridge has remained almost intact from its original construction. The only changes have been minor to the bridge itself. The highway, however, has changed quite a bit. In 1968, Sierra Highway, then State Route 14, was widened to four lanes. A second bridge for northbound traffic was added, with the original bridge being used for southbound traffic.
Presently, Sierra Highway is six lanes wide at the river crossing. As the bridges were built with a four-lane highway in mind, only a narrow shoulder along both directions exists. This condition is one of the reasons the bridges across the Santa Clara River are being replaced.
In March of 2017, I took a trip to inspect in more detail the bridge and the surrounding area. It was nice to see the bridge again, as it brought back a lot of memories. I used to live near the bridge and crossed it almost daily. It will be sad to see it go as it is one of the last remaining pieces of the old highway. So, please, check it out yourself while you still can. I’m not quite sure when the construction will begin, it may have already.
Main Structure:
Side view, from the northern end. Note the small arches along each span.
Southern abutment and wing wall.
Between the 1938 and 1968 spans. Quite a difference between the girders.
Deck view, looking northerly from the south end.
Side view showing the railing, arched spans, and wing wall.
Detailing:
Underside view of the bridge.
Closeup of the west side railing from the south end of the bridge.
View showing the railing at the expansion joint.
Expansion joint that may have moved during an earthquake or from settling.
Expansion joint along the bridge deck.
Deck drain detail.
Remaining section of railroad rail and wire fence embankment protection.
