The Wealthy Street Bridge is one of the bridges over the Grand River. It gets heavy traffic because it connects multiple paths through downtown, industrial, and expressway zones. It is the southernmost bridge in the city of Grand Rapids.
On the south side of the west bank of the river at the Wealthy Bridge is a major set of what appear to be Water Department outlets or valves. They are very large and let out onto a beautiful secluded river bank.
 View of the Bridge from the East River Bank. |
Views from the Wealthy Street Bridge
View to the North from the Wealthy Street Bridge. The full span of the Amtrak Bridge and the southern tip of Punk Island are in this view.
View to the South from the Wealthy Street Bridge. The view includes an out-of-service Railroad Bridge and the Chimney for the City Incinerator.
Map
Geographic coordinates are 42.956171° N, 85.684519° WLatitude: 42°57′22.216″N
Longitude: 85°41′4.268″W.
History of Wealthy Street Bridge
-"It looks simple and quite rundown now, but at the turn of the century it took two city governments, three construction companies, a finger wagging from the War Department, three years and more than $65,000 (a high figure for those days) to get the span across about 400 feet of water."--Grand Rapids Press, 5/30/63 Shaky Start for Bridge: Wealthy St. Span Had Trouble Getting Across Waters--GR Public Library, Michigan Room
Began in 1902
-"Higgins and city did not get along"
1902-03
-Winter slowed construction
1903
-Higgins dismissed
*Fall 1903
-one of the worst winters in years--work stopped until spring
1905
-April Fool's Day in 1905--Bridge was finished, but was not opened until fall because roadway and streetcar tracks had to be installed
1949
-Sections of the decking gave way--closed for weekend for temporary repairs
1950
-May--bridge sealed off for two weeks--45 year old span received new deck, structural plating and resurfacing. (cost: $50,000)
-Grand Rapids Press, 5/30/63 Shaky Start for Bridge: Wealthy St. Span Had Trouble Getting Across Waters--GR Public Library, Michigan Room; Vertical Files, Wealthy Street Bridge
Grand Rapids Public Museum Archives
178044 - Construction on Wealthy Street Bridge circa 1905 showing east side steamboat channel.
