Granite Street Bridge

From the other side of the Main Street bridge, you can see upstream in the distance, the oldest surviving bridge in Montpelier, the Granite Street bridge. 

This 210-foot Baltimore Truss bridge was built in 1902 to serve the granite sheds along Barre Street. To support heavy loads, the Bal­ti­more Truss has ad­di­tio­nal bra­c­ing to prevent buck­ling. 

Most truss bridges do not require supporting piers. Weight is supported by the trusses above. As a result, truss bridges are better equipped to handle high water. The Granite Street bridge was one of the few bridges in Montpelier to survive the 1927 flood. 

Programmable LED lights with effects have been installed on the upper chord and central star-shaped bay of the Granite Street bridge. On Valentine's Day, it sparkles in pink and red. In winter, it shimmers in shades of blue. On New Year's and Independence Day, the star in the center explodes like a firework.