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Coordinates: 43°01′30″N 87°53′56″W / 43.02500°N 87.89889°W / 43.02500; -87.89889
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{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}}
[[Image:Hoan Bridge.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Hoan Bridge]]
{{update|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox Bridge
| bridge_name=Hoan Bridge
| image=Hoan Bridge.jpg
| caption=The Hoan Bridge
| official_name=Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge
| crosses=[[Milwaukee River]]
| carries=6 lanes of {{jct|state=WI|I|794}}
| locale=[[Milwaukee, Wisconsin|Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin]], U.S.
| design=[[Tied arch bridge]]
| mainspan={{convert|185|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}
| length={{convert|3057.8|m|mi|1|abbr=on}}<ref name="nbi">{{cite web |url= https://www.lce.us/Hoan/|title= Daniel Webster Hoan Bridge |access-date = August 11, 2008 |publisher= Lichtenstein Consulting Engineers |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070311050511/https://www.lce.us/Hoan/ |archive-date= March 11, 2007}}</ref>
| width={{convert|15.8|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}<ref name="nb_B400400001B0000">{{cite web |url= https://nationalbridges.com/nbi_record.php?StateCode=55&struct=B400400001B0000 |title= Nationalbridges.com National Bridge Inventory Bridges |access-date = October 5, 2007 |publisher= NationalBridges.com}}{{dead link|date=December 2012}}</ref>
| height=
| below={{convert|36.6|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}<ref name="nb_B400400001B0000" />
| cost=
| begin=1970
| open= 1977
| rebuilt= 2000-2001
| closed=
| maint=[[Wisconsin Department of Transportation]] (WisDOT)
| id=
| coordinates= {{coord|43|01|30|N|87|53|56|W|format=dms|display=inline,title|region:US-WI_type:landmark}}
| traffic=19230<ref name="nb_B400400001B0000" />
}}


The '''Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge''' is a [[tied arch bridge]] that connects [[Interstate 794]] in downtown [[Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin]] to the [[Lake Freeway]] across the inner harbor. It is named after [[Daniel Hoan]], a former [[List of mayors of Milwaukee|mayor of Milwaukee]].
The '''Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge''' is a [[tied-arch bridge]] that connects [[Interstate 794]] in downtown [[Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin]], to the [[Interstate 794|Lake Freeway]] across the [[Milwaukee River]] inlet. Originally called the '''Harbor Bridge''', it was renamed after [[Daniel Hoan]] (Socialist Party), [[List of mayors of Milwaukee|one of the longest serving mayors of Milwaukee]].


== History ==
It was designed by the firm [[HNTB|Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff]] and in [[1975]] won the [[American Institute of Steel Construction]] (AISC) Long Span Bridge Award.
It was designed by the firm [[HNTB|Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff]] and in 1975 won the [[American Institute of Steel Construction]] (AISC) Long Span Bridge Award. Although construction on the bridge lasted briefly from 1970 until 1972, it did not open to traffic until 1977 due to the era's [[freeway revolt]]s against the planned [[Milwaukee County, Wisconsin|Milwaukee County]] freeway system. This halted completion of the connecting roadways and led to the Hoan Bridge being known as "[[Bridge to nowhere|The Bridge to Nowhere]]."


Although construction on the bridge lasted briefly from [[1970]] until [[1972]], it did not open to traffic until [[1977]] due to public backlash against the planned [[Milwaukee County, Wisconsin|Milwaukee County]] freeway system. This halted completion of the connecting roadways and led to the Hoan Bridge being known as "The Bridge to Nowhere." Its unfinished state was used as the site of the car chase scene in the movie ''[[The Blues Brothers]]''. Eventually, the bridge would connect to somewhere by [[1997]], when the Lake Parkway (Wisconsin 794) opened between the bridge's southernmost exit, connecting the bridge between the [[Bay View, Milwaukee|Bay View]] neighborhood and the northeast part of [[General Mitchell International Airport|Mitchell Field]].
It was widely held that the bridge in its unfinished state was used as the site of a car chase scene in the movie ''[[The Blues Brothers (film)|The Blues Brothers]]''. However, author Mathiew J. Prigge, in a two part article on the bridge's history for the [[Shepherd Express]], pointed out that the film was actually shot two years after the bridge was opened in 1977, he identified the scenes as being filmed on another incomplete section of [[I-794]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://shepherdexpress.com/news/what-made-milwaukee-famous/bridge-nowhere-brief-history-hoan-bridge-part-ii/|last=Prigge|first=Michael J.|title=Bridge to Nowhere! A Brief History of the Hoan Bridge Part II|date=September 12, 2016|publisher=Shepherd Express|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref> Eventually, the bridge connections were completed in 1998, when the Lake Parkway ([[Wisconsin Highway 794]]) opened between the bridge's southernmost exit, connecting the bridge between the [[Bay View, Milwaukee|Bay View]] neighborhood and downtown Milwaukee's southeastern tip.


[[File:Hoan bridge 2001.jpg|thumb|Hoan Bridge in August, 2001]]
The Hoan Bridge was temporarily closed on [[December 13]], [[2000]] after two of three support beams failed, causing the north-bound lanes to buckle and sag by several feet, leaving the span in a near collapsed state. Incredibly, no motorists were injured when the bridge failed. On [[December 28]], [[2000]] engineers used explosives to remove the damaged section. After reconstruction of the failed span (and extensive rehabilitation and retrofitting of the remainder of the bridge), the Hoan Bridge fully reopened in November 2001. A total of $19 million was spent to demolish and replace the damaged section and retrofit the remainder of the bridge.
The Hoan Bridge was temporarily closed on December 13, 2000, after two of the three support beams of the lakefront span failed, causing the north-bound lanes to buckle and sag by 4 feet leaving the span in a near collapsed state. No motorists were injured when the bridge failed. On December 28, 2000, engineers used explosives to remove the damaged section. The southbound lanes were restricted to one lane in each direction for eight months while the damaged northbound span was reconstructed, and the remainder of the bridge underwent extensive rehabilitation and retrofitting. Two lanes in each direction were reintroduced on October 10, 2001, and the bridge was fully reopened the following month.<ref>{{Citation
|url = https://www2.jsonline.com/traffic/news/oct01/hoan11101001.asp
|title = Drivers' patience pays off as most lanes reopen on Hoan Bridge
|author = Tom Held
|date = October 10, 2001
|publisher = Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
|access-date = October 12, 2008
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080212080320/https://www2.jsonline.com/traffic/news/oct01/hoan11101001.asp
|archive-date = February 12, 2008
}}</ref> According to the ''Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel'', at the time of its failure, the six lanes of the bridge had carried an average of only 36,590 cars per day.<ref>{{Citation
|url = https://www2.jsonline.com/traffic/news/may01/road28052701a.asp
|title = A bridge too far? Drivers avoid the Hoan
|author = Larry Sandler
|date = May 28, 2001
|publisher = Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
|access-date = March 22, 2008
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080212061656/https://www2.jsonline.com/traffic/news/may01/road28052701a.asp
|archive-date = February 12, 2008
}}</ref> A total of $16 million was spent to demolish and replace the damaged section and retrofit the remainder of the bridge.<ref>{{Citation
|url = https://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=642030
|title = Hoan Bridge failure was wake-up call here
|author = Larry Sandler
|publisher = Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
|date = August 2, 2007
|access-date = March 22, 2008
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929090412/https://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=642030
|archive-date = September 29, 2007
}}</ref> Experts believe that improperly designed welds between the lower lateral bracing and floorbeams along with a period of extreme cold and snow led to the partial collapse of the Hoan Bridge.<ref>{{Citation
|url=https://www.lce.us/Hoan/summary.htm
|title=Hoan Bridge Failure Investigation and Retrofit; A Summary
|publisher=Lichtenstein Consulting Engineers
|access-date=August 11, 2008
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030311173847/https://www.lce.us/Hoan/summary.htm
|archive-date=March 11, 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Hoan Bridge Forensic Investigation Failure Analysis: Final Report |url=https://wwwcourses.sens.buffalo.edu/cie500d/other_classes/Hoan-Failure-Investigation.pdf |website=University at Buffalo |publisher=State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation |access-date=27 June 2021}}</ref>


A total rehabilitation of the bridge has been nearly completed (as of September 2016) in conjunction with related construction on I-794 and its interchange.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://projects.511wi.gov/lakefrontgateway/ |title=I-794 Lakefront Gateway – 511 WI Projects |publisher=Projects.511wi.gov |date= |access-date=September 27, 2016 |archive-date=October 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002043359/http://projects.511wi.gov/lakefrontgateway/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The rehabilitation plan removed and replaced the bridge deck, other structural adjustments, and the cleaning and repainting of the bridge's steel. The improvements are expected to extend the life span of the bridge by 40 to 50 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://projects.511wi.gov/web/hoan-bridge-project/overview# |title=Hoan Bridge Project – |publisher=Projects.511wi.gov |date= |access-date=September 27, 2016}}</ref>
Experts believe that improperly designed transverse beams (which tie the three support beams together) along with a period of extreme cold and snow led to the partial collapse of the Hoan Bridge.

In May 2018, a private campaign named "Light the Hoan bridge<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://onmilwaukee.com/raisemke/articles/light-the-hoan-milwaukee.html|title=WATCH: Light the Hoan and watch Milwaukee shine|work=OnMilwaukee.com|access-date=2018-10-02|language=en}}</ref>" was created to light up the bridge. The project will cost between $4 million and $5 million. As of January 30, 2020, founders of this group stated they were still on track to reach their goal of being lit by the time Milwaukee hosts the [[Democratic National Convention]] later that summer. The next fundraising milestone is set for mid-April.<ref>{{cite web|title=LIGHT THE HOAN REACHES ANOTHER KEY FUNDRAISING MILESTONE|date=February 4, 2020 |url=https://www.lightthehoan.com/post/light-the-hoan-reaches-another-key-fundraising-milestone |access-date=March 15, 2020}}</ref> After 2 years of fundraising the bridge was finally lit on October 22, 2020. The bridge will be lit every night thereafter, featuring various colors and light sequences. Light the Hoan kicked off a $2 million fundraising campaign in August 2023. The initial goal was to install the east-side lights in time for the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The Republican National Convention host committee said on July 8th, 2024 that it will contribute to the Light the Hoan's efforts to raise funds to light the east side of the bridge. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2024/07/08/rnc-host-committee-helps-fund-light-the-hoan.html}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:HoanBridge12042005.jpg|The underside of the bridge
File:Hoan Bridge 2016.jpg|Bridge in 2016 after restoration project. Viewed from [[Erie Street Plaza]].
File:Hoan Bridge viewed from Discovery World.jpg|The Hoan Bridge viewed from [[Discovery World]]
File:Hoan and crowd IMG 9142.jpg|Bridge, viewed from the adjacent [[American Family Insurance Amphitheater]]
File:Hoan Bridge IMG 3870.jpg|View of the bridge from below
</gallery>

==See also==
* {{Portal-inline|Transport}}
* {{Portal-inline|Engineering}}

==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Hoan Bridge}}
*[http://www.wisconsinhighways.org/indepth/hoan_bridge.html Wisconsin Highways]
*[http://www.lce.us/Hoan/ Failure Analysis]
*[https://www.lightthehoan.com Light the Hoan]
*[http://www.wisconsinhighways.org/indepth/hoan_bridge.html Hoan Bridge] on Wisconsin Highways
*[http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/dec00/hoanarc.asp Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper archive of Hoan bridge failure event]
* {{Structurae|id=20000507|title=Milwaukee Harbor Bridge}}
{{Geolinks-US-streetscale|43.025160|-87.899082}}
*[https://filmfreeway.com/HoanAlonePersonalStoriesfromtheBridge Hoan Alone] Short film about suicide awareness and three stories relating to the popularity of this bridge for that purpose.


[[Category:through arch bridges]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Milwaukee]]
[[Category:Bridges in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Transportation in Milwaukee]]
[[Category:Milwaukee, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1977]]
[[Category:Bridge disasters in the United States]]
[[Category:Bridge disasters caused by engineering error]]
[[Category:Through arch bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Road bridges in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Bridges on the Interstate Highway System]]
[[Category:2000 in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Transportation disasters in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:1977 establishments in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Interstate 94]]
[[Category:Steel bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Bridges to nowhere]]

Latest revision as of 15:31, 18 July 2024

Hoan Bridge
The Hoan Bridge
Coordinates43°01′30″N 87°53′56″W / 43.02500°N 87.89889°W / 43.02500; -87.89889
Carries6 lanes of I-794
CrossesMilwaukee River
LocaleMilwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Official nameDaniel Hoan Memorial Bridge
Maintained byWisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT)
Characteristics
DesignTied arch bridge
Total length3,057.8 m (1.9 mi)[1]
Width15.8 m (51.8 ft)[2]
Longest span185 m (607.0 ft)
Clearance below36.6 m (120.1 ft)[2]
History
Construction start1970
Opened1977
Rebuilt2000-2001
Statistics
Daily traffic19230[2]
Location
Map

The Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge is a tied-arch bridge that connects Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to the Lake Freeway across the Milwaukee River inlet. Originally called the Harbor Bridge, it was renamed after Daniel Hoan (Socialist Party), one of the longest serving mayors of Milwaukee.

History

[edit]

It was designed by the firm Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff and in 1975 won the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Long Span Bridge Award. Although construction on the bridge lasted briefly from 1970 until 1972, it did not open to traffic until 1977 due to the era's freeway revolts against the planned Milwaukee County freeway system. This halted completion of the connecting roadways and led to the Hoan Bridge being known as "The Bridge to Nowhere."

It was widely held that the bridge in its unfinished state was used as the site of a car chase scene in the movie The Blues Brothers. However, author Mathiew J. Prigge, in a two part article on the bridge's history for the Shepherd Express, pointed out that the film was actually shot two years after the bridge was opened in 1977, he identified the scenes as being filmed on another incomplete section of I-794.[3] Eventually, the bridge connections were completed in 1998, when the Lake Parkway (Wisconsin Highway 794) opened between the bridge's southernmost exit, connecting the bridge between the Bay View neighborhood and downtown Milwaukee's southeastern tip.

Hoan Bridge in August, 2001

The Hoan Bridge was temporarily closed on December 13, 2000, after two of the three support beams of the lakefront span failed, causing the north-bound lanes to buckle and sag by 4 feet leaving the span in a near collapsed state. No motorists were injured when the bridge failed. On December 28, 2000, engineers used explosives to remove the damaged section. The southbound lanes were restricted to one lane in each direction for eight months while the damaged northbound span was reconstructed, and the remainder of the bridge underwent extensive rehabilitation and retrofitting. Two lanes in each direction were reintroduced on October 10, 2001, and the bridge was fully reopened the following month.[4] According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, at the time of its failure, the six lanes of the bridge had carried an average of only 36,590 cars per day.[5] A total of $16 million was spent to demolish and replace the damaged section and retrofit the remainder of the bridge.[6] Experts believe that improperly designed welds between the lower lateral bracing and floorbeams along with a period of extreme cold and snow led to the partial collapse of the Hoan Bridge.[7][8]

A total rehabilitation of the bridge has been nearly completed (as of September 2016) in conjunction with related construction on I-794 and its interchange.[9] The rehabilitation plan removed and replaced the bridge deck, other structural adjustments, and the cleaning and repainting of the bridge's steel. The improvements are expected to extend the life span of the bridge by 40 to 50 years.[10]

In May 2018, a private campaign named "Light the Hoan bridge[11]" was created to light up the bridge. The project will cost between $4 million and $5 million. As of January 30, 2020, founders of this group stated they were still on track to reach their goal of being lit by the time Milwaukee hosts the Democratic National Convention later that summer. The next fundraising milestone is set for mid-April.[12] After 2 years of fundraising the bridge was finally lit on October 22, 2020. The bridge will be lit every night thereafter, featuring various colors and light sequences. Light the Hoan kicked off a $2 million fundraising campaign in August 2023. The initial goal was to install the east-side lights in time for the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The Republican National Convention host committee said on July 8th, 2024 that it will contribute to the Light the Hoan's efforts to raise funds to light the east side of the bridge. [13]

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Daniel Webster Hoan Bridge". Lichtenstein Consulting Engineers. Archived from the original on March 11, 2007. Retrieved August 11, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c "Nationalbridges.com National Bridge Inventory Bridges". NationalBridges.com. Retrieved October 5, 2007.[dead link‍]
  3. ^ Prigge, Michael J. (September 12, 2016). "Bridge to Nowhere! A Brief History of the Hoan Bridge Part II". Shepherd Express. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  4. ^ Tom Held (October 10, 2001), Drivers' patience pays off as most lanes reopen on Hoan Bridge, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, archived from the original on February 12, 2008, retrieved October 12, 2008
  5. ^ Larry Sandler (May 28, 2001), A bridge too far? Drivers avoid the Hoan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, archived from the original on February 12, 2008, retrieved March 22, 2008
  6. ^ Larry Sandler (August 2, 2007), Hoan Bridge failure was wake-up call here, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, archived from the original on September 29, 2007, retrieved March 22, 2008
  7. ^ Hoan Bridge Failure Investigation and Retrofit; A Summary, Lichtenstein Consulting Engineers, archived from the original on March 11, 2003, retrieved August 11, 2008
  8. ^ "Hoan Bridge Forensic Investigation Failure Analysis: Final Report" (PDF). University at Buffalo. State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  9. ^ "I-794 Lakefront Gateway – 511 WI Projects". Projects.511wi.gov. Archived from the original on October 2, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  10. ^ "Hoan Bridge Project –". Projects.511wi.gov. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  11. ^ "WATCH: Light the Hoan and watch Milwaukee shine". OnMilwaukee.com. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  12. ^ "LIGHT THE HOAN REACHES ANOTHER KEY FUNDRAISING MILESTONE". February 4, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  13. ^ https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2024/07/08/rnc-host-committee-helps-fund-light-the-hoan.html. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
[edit]
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