Who invented this arched bridge?

“I saw a documentary where the army used made an arched bridge out of notched logs, like big Lincoln Logs. They were able to take it apart and move it when they were finished. Who invented it? Could you find more information about it?”

We were unable to find the documentary that our patron was referring to, but searching “Lincoln log military bridge” in an online search engine brought up images of a small-scale model matching our patron’s description. The image was from a blog called Dick 'n Debbie's Travels. It was a picture the writers had taken on their visit to a museum exhibit on DaVinci machines.

Now that we knew DaVinci was the inventor, and that the bridge was quite a bit older than we originally thought, it was easier to find more information. DaVinci designed a number of bridges, including several that could be easily built “so as to escape or follow the enemy” (according to Leslie Geddes’ translation of his notes in their essay). The bridge that looks like it’s made from Lincoln Logs is particularly special because it’s self-supporting and does not require rope or nails to hold it together.

The bridge was likely designed for Cesare Borgia (an Italian nobleman who inspired Machiavelli’s
The Prince) while DaVinci was employed by him in 1502 and 1503.

For more information, World of Invention, edited by Kimberly A. McGrath, and two books titled simply Leonardo DaVinci, one by Ludwig Goldscheider and one by Jack Wasserman, are available at the Newton Falls Public Library.

How Do I Find Out Tolls Beforehand?

“I’m planning a trip. Is there a way to find out beforehand how much the tolls will cost?”

If you’re planning a trip in this last stretch of summer and you want to plan ahead and find out how much cash you’ll need to pay the tolls, you’re in luck. Every state we've checked has a website with a fare calculator. Ohio’s, for example, is at http://www.ohioturnpike.org/travelers/fare-calculator/. While the sites are all set up a little differently, they all give you the option to choose your vehicle class as well as the points that you’ll be getting on and getting off the toll road. If applicable, the sites also provide the fares for toll bridges.

We have another patron who’s planning to walk around the entirety of Lake Erie next spring. He wanted to know if he could walk across the bridges in Detroit and Niagara Falls that cross from the United States into Canada. Again, we were able to go to the websites of the bridges in question and find the tolls listed there. While the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls lists a fifty-cent charge for pedestrians and bicyclists, the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit only gives charges for motorcycles and automobiles. However, when our patron looked at the street-level pictures of the bridge available on Google Maps, he noticed a sidewalk. It would probably be best to be prepared to arrange a ride across, just in case.

For avid travelers, we have an assortment of travel guides available for borrowing, including The Rough Guide to the USA, Lonely Planet USA, Lonely Planet Canada, and Off the Beaten Path: Ohio. Though it’s in our reference collection and not available for checkout, we also have the most recent Rand McNally Road Atlas here for anyone to page through.

Which Bridge is Closing over Duck Creek in Newton Township?

“I saw in the newspaper that a bridge over Duck Creek in Newton Township is being replaced. Can you find out which bridge it is and when the work will be done, so I know if it will affect how I go to work?” The Newton Falls Public Library understands the need to be aware of road construction and anticipating when it may be a cause of inconvenience.

We began our search online. Finding the January 11, 2011 minutes of the Trumbull Board of County Commissioners, we learned that a motion was made and approved for the “replacement of structure Newton Falls-Bailey Road over Duck Creek--reconstruction of approach including ditches, storm sewers, driveway and traffic control, lying within Trumbull County . . .”  A side note was included in the motion stating: “This project is being funded by a federal grant. The local share is currently estimated at $174,240.00, which is to be funded by an OPWC grant. Estimated amount will be adjusted when actual costs are determined--absolutely no County General Revenue Funds will be utilized.”

Our patron now knew where the construction was to take place, but we still needed to know when.  The Ohio Department of Transportation has available online a pamphlet titled Proposed Highway Improvements forContract Letting dated February 23, 2012. It was “issued solely for the purpose of circulating advance information pertaining to proposed Highway improvements.”  Pages 137-140 details what work is to be done and what materials are needed for the Duck Creek Bridge project. While no starting date is listed in the pamphlet, the date set for completion is September 30, 2012. At this time we were unable to find a starting date.