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French King Bridge

Coordinates: 42°35′52″N 72°29′48″W / 42.59778°N 72.49667°W / 42.59778; -72.49667
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French King Bridge aka: FKB
Coordinates42°35′52″N 72°29′48″W / 42.59778°N 72.49667°W / 42.59778; -72.49667
Carries Route 2 pedestrian and vehicular traffic
CrossesConnecticut River
LocaleGill, Massachusetts, and Erving, Massachusetts
Maintained by[1]
ID numberE-10-014 or G-04-009
Characteristics
DesignSpandrel-braced steel deck arch bridge
Total length782 feet (238 m)
Width47.8 feet (14.6 m)
Height140 feet (43 m)[1]
Longest span460 feet (140 m)
History
Construction startSeptember 1931
Construction end1932
OpenedSeptember 10, 1932;
92 years ago (1932-09-10)
Location
Map

The French King Bridge is the three-span "cantilever arch" bridge[2] that crosses the Connecticut River on the border between the towns of Erving and Gill, Massachusetts, United States. The bridge, part of Massachusetts Route 2, carries automobile, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic and is owned and managed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).

French King Bridge

History

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The French King Bridge (FKB) was opened to traffic on September 10, 1932. It was named the "Most Beautiful Steel Bridge" of 1932 by the American Institute of Steel Construction. The bridge was rebuilt in 1992, and refurbished in 2008–2010.[3][4]

Suicides

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In 2009, police said that between 26 and 31 people were known to have jumped off the bridge since its construction in 1932, with only 2 survivors.[5]

In 2023 nine-foot steel barrier was erected on both side of the bridge by MassDOT. The barriers have all but stopped the need for emergency responders to be called to the bridge for rescue of people in crisis, or recovery of people who have jumped.[6][7]

Name

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The name comes from a nearby geographic feature named French King Rock, visible in the middle of the river.[8]

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  • A view north from the top of the bridge during summer (August 2007)
    A view north from the top of the bridge during summer (August 2007)
  • A view from the bridge to Connecticut River at Autumn
    A view from the bridge to Connecticut River at Autumn
  • A view of the road surface and guard rails
    A view of the road surface and guard rails
  • The southwest lamp post
    The southwest lamp post
  • The honorary plaque on the North West side of the bridge
    The honorary plaque on the North West side of the bridge

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Federal Writers' Project (1937). Massachusetts: A Guide to Its Places and People. American Guide Series. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 453. ISBN 9781603540209.
  2. ^ Massachusetts Highway Department. "French King Bridge". Boston, Massachusetts: Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation. Archived from the original on 2006-05-09. Retrieved 2009-09-02. It is of engineering interest as an unusual development of the uncommon three-span, "cantilever arch" bridge type, in that definite reactions were jacked into its steel work at the conclusion of construction, resulting in a bridge which is structurally continuous across four supports.
  3. ^ "Project 603723R contract granted". Archived from the original on 2011-07-10. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  4. ^ "Project status page". Archived from the original on 2009-04-20. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  5. ^ Curtis, Chris (December 11, 2012). "Man jumps to his death". The Recorder. Greenfield, Massachusetts. Archived from the original on 2012-12-14.
  6. ^ Enerson, Linda (May 13, 2023). "Barriers going up on bridge to prevent suicide jumps". CommonWealth Beacon.
  7. ^ Hoffman, Erin-Leigh (September 2, 2024). "French King Bridge barriers 'working' after 2023 installation". Daily Hampshire Gazette.
  8. ^ The WPA Guide to Massachusetts: The Bay State. Trinity University Press. 2013 [1938]. p. 412. ISBN 978-1595342195.
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