Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Ohio Zanesville Zanesville Y-Bridge

Zanesville Y-Bridge

A favorite of Amelia Earhart, ranking among those rare bridges that can be crossed without changing sides of the river.

Zanesville, Ohio

Added By
solarconstant
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Aerial view of the Fifth Y-Bridge   Google Maps
Y-Bridge at night, crosser’s delight   Paula Lively on Flickr
Signage designating the historic nature of Zanesville’s Y-Bridges   David Brossard on Flickr
  Taterchips / Atlas Obscura User
  arthurbh / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

When crossing the Y-Bridge of Zanesville, Ohio, it's best to believe your GPS when it instructs you to take a left in the middle of a river.

Located at the confluence of the Licking and Muskingum Rivers, downtown Zanesville has long sought a solution to its watery woes. Since 1814, engineers have determined that a unique, y-shaped bridge construction was the answer. So remarkable is the design that pioneering aviatrix Amelia Earhart even remarked that it made Zanesville ''the most recognizable city in the country." 

The bridge that stands today is the fifth to feature such a literally unparalleled design. In 1979, a team of consultants reported that the fourth y-bridge was too damaged to be saved, and "that it is deteriorating rapidly and becoming a serious hazard.” Stalwart as ever, Zanesville stuck to what it knew best, and built the fifth y-bridge up to spec, replete with an intersection in the middle of the water, where traffic from U.S. Route 40 (Main Street and West Main Street) meets Linden Avenue.  

Regardless of the construction, one delightful fact has remained true since the early 19th century: Zanesville's charmingly strange bridge stands among just a few bridges in the world that can be crossed without changing sides of the river.

Related Tags

Bridges Engineering Amelia Earhart

Community Contributors

Added By

solarconstant

Edited By

littlebrumble, PrestonW, Mom0ja, arthurbh...

  • littlebrumble
  • PrestonW
  • Mom0ja
  • arthurbh
  • Taterchips

Published

February 8, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.coz.org/history/
  • http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1986-04-06/travel/0210230237_1_famous-bridges-y-bridge-brooklyn-bridge
Zanesville Y-Bridge
Zanesville, Ohio, 43701
United States
39.940417, -82.014306

Nearby Places

Lock #10 on the Muskingum River

Zanesville, Ohio

miles away

Old Perry County Courthouse

Somerset, Ohio

miles away

Dawes Arboretum Hedge Letters

Newark, Ohio

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Zanesville

Zanesville

Ohio

Places 3
Stories 1

Nearby Places

Lock #10 on the Muskingum River

Zanesville, Ohio

miles away

Old Perry County Courthouse

Somerset, Ohio

miles away

Dawes Arboretum Hedge Letters

Newark, Ohio

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Zanesville

Zanesville

Ohio

Places 3
Stories 1

Related Places

  • The Inglis Bridge was meant to be deployed quickly.

    Aldershot, England

    Inglis Bridge

    The world's only surviving Inglis Bridge allowed for fast deployment during WWI.

  • Conwy Suspension Bridge

    Conwy, Wales

    Conwy Suspension Bridge

    One of the oldest suspension bridges in the world blends in perfectly with a medieval castle.

  • Pelješac Bridge

    Duboka, Croatia

    Pelješac Bridge

    Construction of this bridge was once described as an "act of violence" against a neighboring country.

  • Passu Suspension Bridge

    Passu, Pakistan

    Passu Suspension Bridge

    Unrefined, uneven, and unstable—this is the real McCoy of Pakistani suspension bridges.

  • The Vulcan bridge

    Vulcan, West Virginia

    Vulcan Bridge

    This rural bridge gave the government of West Virginia a red scare.

  • Tokyo, Japan

    Shin-Ōhashi Bridge

    The predecessor to this bridge was depicted in a famous Japanese woodcut print that influenced Van Gogh.

  • Croswell Swinging Bridge

    Croswell, Michigan

    Croswell Swinging Bridge

    This historic suspension bridge is one of three remaining swinging bridges in Michigan, and one of the few swinging bridges left in North America.

  • London, England

    Victoria Park's Old London Bridge Alcoves

    These remnants of Old London Bridge possess unique acoustics that allow for whispered conversations to carry from one side to the other.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.