DOT planning to replace Gerstle River bridge, along with two other World War II-era bridges, in coming years
Time is running short for anyone interested in acquiring the old Gerstle River bridge on the Alaska Highway. It’s one of three bridges built during World War II that the state Department of Transportation is planning to replace over the next few years.
There’s an old American adage used by jokesters and con men after they tell a tall tale. They follow it up by saying “And if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you!”
But DOT doesn’t want to sell the Gerstle River bridge. They want to give it away, after they build a new one.
To do that, spokesperson Angelica Stabs says federal regulations require DOT to offer the bridge to any qualifying group that will relocate and restore it and make it available to the public.
She says that’s because it’s an historic structure that commemorates the service of African-American soldiers who built the bridge back in World War II.
“This is the Black Veterans Bridge,” she said. “It was built during a very monumental time in American history and Alaska history. This is a way for us to preserve the history of the bridge.”
The 1,820-foot-long Gerstle bridge is located on the Alaska Highway about 30 miles south of Delta Junction. It has nine spans, but Stabs says only seven would be given away.
“The two that we are keeping will be blocked off so that people can't climb on them,” Stabs said. “So there's no risk of injury and they don't get vandalized. But they're still able to be viewed on the wayside.”
The state posted a notice about the availability of the bridge on Feb. 3. But Stabs says so far DOT hasn’t gotten any offers from anyone or any group interested in dismantling the seven spans and hauling them away. But there’s still a few days to go before the March 6 deadline.
She said DOT didn’t get any offers for the Johnson River bridge when the agency went through the same process recently.
She said the 82-year-old bridge is still sturdy, but is long past its useful life.
“Back in the day,” she added, “these bridges were expected to have a design service life of about 50 years.”
Stabs says the two-lane bridge is too narrow for 21st century transportation needs. And because it’s supported by overhead trusses, its vertical clearance is too limited for taller loads. The new bridge will not have those overhead trusses.
“We're increasing the vertical and horizontal roadway clearance. We’re making it wider and taller, and increasing its load-carrying capacity.”
She says state and federal regulations and policies now require bridges to be able to withstand strong earthquakes and flood damage. Those standards also will be incorporated into the Gerstle River bridge, and also two other Alaska Highway bridges that DOT plans to replace that span the Johnson and Robertson rivers.
Those bridges also were completed in 1944. They, too, were built by Black soldiers, and so was the Alaska Highway.
The 974-foot Johnson River bridge, located at milepost 1380, will be replaced first. Work on that overhead-truss bridge is scheduled to begin next year and be completed in 2030.
The Gerstle bridge project is scheduled to get underway in 2029 and be completed in 2032.
Work on the third project, the 1,979-foot-long Robertson River bridge at milepost 1347, is scheduled to begin in 2030 and be completed around 2033.
Editor's note — this story has been updated.
