PROVIDES A DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE DESIGN, EVOLUTION, AND PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SCHERZER ROLLING LIFT BRIDGES
Rolling Lift Bridges in Practice: Historical Foundations and Modern Application addresses a critical gap in contemporary bridge engineering literature by offering both a historical framework and a modern technical guide to Scherzer rolling lift bridges. For engineers tasked with designing resilient, movable structures that accommodate growing transportation demands, this authoritative book delivers the essential understanding to integrate proven mechanisms with today’s performance expectations.
Author Jeffrey Routson traces the lineage of the Scherzer rolling lift bridge from its origins, through its technological evolution, and up to its current role in infrastructure development. Routson’s analysis details how these bridges have adapted to advancements in materials, mechanical systems, and aesthetics while maintaining the integrity of Scherzer’s original concept. In-depth chapters discuss the integration of rolling lift systems with modern technologies, clarify design codes and standards relevant to movable bridge construction and rehabilitation, provide clear technical guidance on optimizing components and assessing and retrofitting aging bridges, and much more.
Empowering bridge and structural engineers to apply time-tested principles with confidence in a present-day context, Rolling Lift Bridges in Practice:
Provides an annotated inventory of more than 500 bridges worldwide Features over 70 technical diagrams and photos illustrating bridge components, movement mechanisms, and structural systems of both early and contemporary Scherzer rolling lift bridge designs Includes examples of recent projects showcasing sustainability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness Offers a detailed explanation of kinetic and structural performance factors unique to rolling lift bridges Clarifies technical misunderstandings and historical facts related to these bridges and their engineers
Supplying original engineering insights from the author’s experience with award-winning bascule bridge projects, Rolling Lift Bridges in Practice: Historical Foundations and Modern Application is ideal for graduate and upper-level undergraduate courses in structural engineering, bridge design, or transportation infrastructure, particularly within civil engineering degree programs. It is also an invaluable reference for professional bridge engineers, infrastructure planners, historians, and consulting firms involved in movable bridge projects.
By:
Jeffrey D. Routson
Imprint: John Wiley & Sons Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 254mm,
Width: 183mm,
Spine: 20mm
Weight: 635g
ISBN: 9781394347469
ISBN 10: 1394347464
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 13 January 2026
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
College/higher education
,
Undergraduate
,
Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
About the Author xi Preface xiii Acknowledgments xvii Abbreviations and Symbols xix Part I Historical Considerations 1 1 Heaven and Earth, Water and Fire 3 Note 5 2 Seas, Lakes, Rivers, Canals 7 Notes 10 3 Chicago, Illinois 11 Note 13 4 Peru, Illinois 15 5 The Mid-nineteenth-Century Generation 17 Notes 21 6 The Hazelet and Meals Families 23 Notes 26 7 The Sanitary District of Chicago 29 8 William D. Scherzer, Engineer and Inventor 31 Note 34 9 Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge Co. − The Early Years 35 Notes 40 10 Chicago's Bridge Department 41 Notes 47 11 Albert Scherzer's Death 49 Notes 55 12 Keller & Harrington 57 Notes 58 13 The Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge Co. 1922–1936 59 Note 60 14 Hazelet & Erdal 61 Notes 65 Part II Technical Considerations 67 15 Early Movable Bridge Types 69 Notes 74 16 Modern Bascule Bridges 75 Note 81 17 Myths, Misunderstandings, and Factual Errors 83 Notes 95 18 Loads and Leaf Balance 97 Notes 104 19 Structural Forms for Bascule Spans 105 20 Foundations 111 Notes 116 21 Treads, Tracks, and Their Girders 117 Segmental Girders and Track Girders 141 Notes 145 22 Bascule Structure 147 Notes 161 23 Mid-span Shear Locks 163 Notes 169 24 Operating Systems 171 Notes 179 25 Safety Features 181 Notes 186 Appendix A List of Rolling Lift Bridges 187 Appendix B List of US Patents 201 Bibliography 205 Index 213
JEFFREY D. ROUTSON, PE, SE, is a licensed Professional and Structural Engineer with more than five decades of experience in design, inspection, and construction of steel bridges and other complex structures. He has held leadership roles at major engineering firms, designed eleven bascule bridges—three of which received national awards—and provided post-event damage evaluation after Hurricane Katrina, Nisqually Earthquake, and multiple vessel-bridge allision events. He remains active in mentoring and standards development through AREMA, ASCE, and AWS. Routson combines historical expertise with hands-on technical knowledge to deliver comprehensive, field-informed insights into movable bridge engineering.
