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2026 - Repairs to Foundry Branch Mule Drink Bridge
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park » 2026 - Repairs to Foundry Branch Mule Drink Bridge
The Foundry Branch spillway at mile 1.51 as it exists today is a concrete structure built between 1939 and 1941, based on available NPS archived drawings. This spillway replaced an earlier concrete spillway that was narrower and likely existed without a bridge. The earlier structure would likely have been built between 1906 and 1924. The NPS added a wooden bridge to the structure to facilitate interpretive mule rides and other recreational access so that people did not get their feet wet when water was flowing over the spillway. The current bridge is modern and has likely been replaced many times since its original construction.
The bridge has experienced deterioration and is currently missing planks and contains undersized wooden railings and joists. The park plans to replace missing planks and undersized beams and railings to make the structure safe and available for public use.
The proposed replacement bridge will not impact the concrete spillway with any new physical attachments. The new bridge will differ slightly in look as we are bringing it up to code with dimensionally larger pressure treated lumber members. Work will require temporary closures of the bridge during construction. A pedestrian detour will be in place, leveraging the adjacent Capital Crescent Trail.
The bridge has experienced deterioration and is currently missing planks and contains undersized wooden railings and joists. The park plans to replace missing planks and undersized beams and railings to make the structure safe and available for public use.
The proposed replacement bridge will not impact the concrete spillway with any new physical attachments. The new bridge will differ slightly in look as we are bringing it up to code with dimensionally larger pressure treated lumber members. Work will require temporary closures of the bridge during construction. A pedestrian detour will be in place, leveraging the adjacent Capital Crescent Trail.