I need to build a bridge (25ft-ish) to cross a creek in order to access one of my deer stands. I was thinking of using some cut telephones poles as braces and 2x6's for the surface. Anyone have experience doing this? Better ideas? It just needs to support an atv/utv. Thoughts?

Is the creek constantly full? May try to find some concrete pipe or corrugated metal pipe and may a low water crossing if possible.

Or if slope and water height allows, just grade in a low water crossing and place some fist rock in the bottom.

Of course check things up stream. You don't want to be the cause of flooding upstream if you create a choke point. Depending on location, ordinances, and floodplain this work may require a floodplain permit.

http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/uploadedFiles/Sustainable/bmp/Publications/BMP%20Product%20%20Vendor%20Guide-2011.pdf

an old flat train car would work

Creek is not constant level, and in fact has very little flow even when we've had substantial rains. That being said it has very steep banks (which makes me think it was diverted upstream somewhere pretty recently)...anyway, I'm just looking for the easiest way to get it accomplished. Using an old trailer home base was one of my first thoughts, but getting it in place would be a *****.

At work, we have some old telephone poles (what you described) that were previously used as bridges.

One of our Maint. guys was telling me yesterday how they collected some trusses from a building that was being demolished and how those could be used for a bridge.

No idea of the engineering of that, but I can ask.

[This message has been edited by ZooGuy (edited 7/20/2014 3:48p).]

^ that would be great, thanks! Let me know what they have to say.

Dual drill stem... One pair for each track and a steady hand on the steering wheel... S tx style! Known to Support super duty size trucks

[This message has been edited by chetos (edited 7/20/2014 4:08p).]

Much easier and longer lasting to use culverts. I have a similar thing at my place and I had dirt work done and 2 5' culverts installed. Drop them in, put a few feet of dirt over them and call it good. It accommodates most typical rains and if the creek gets to much water, it just flows over the top. It's been up to 3' above it or more but doesn't stay there for more than a few days.

Be aware that what you do could require a permit from USACE.

Only if you ask

Telephone poles should be adequate, and easy to add to and modify with more lumber and nails/screws. Using culverts requires fill dirt and likely large equipment, and if you get a flood and it's all washed out, ya gotta start over. (I'm assuming you don't need to drive over this bridge)

^ correct…only atv's will be crossing this bridge. thanks for the input…its looking like i am going to need to locate some 25' telephone poles now.

Where do you need them? You can obtain them from local Electric Co-ops; usually for ~ $1/'

Can you doze the banks down? And put bull rock in the bottom since you said flow is low.

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^ correct…only atv's will be crossing this bridge. thanks for the input…its looking like i am going to need to locate some 25' telephone poles now.

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Check and see if any telephone poles are being replaced in your county. A utility company replaced some along our road and gave us about 20 poles a few years back for free.

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Where do you need them? You can obtain them from local Electric Co-ops; usually for ~ $1/'

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Near Palestine. Thanks for the heads up, I'll check into that for sure.

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Can you doze the banks down? And put bull rock in the bottom since you said flow is low.

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The banks are about 7 feet high. I would have to build some sort of wall to keep them from collapsing if I took them down that much.

Our bridge gave out this spring and our hands built this. Maybe this could give you an idea.

You have to to a considerable amount of calculation that you don't impede the flow if you want to build in a flood plain. If its not flood plain, no big deal.

Build ramps on each side!

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Our bridge gave out this spring and our hands built this. Maybe this could give you an idea.

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Where did you get that culvert?

More important, how dirty were the guys shorts that was driving that tractor when the board broke? And how did you get it out?

http://news.msn.com/offbeat/want-to-buy-a-bridge-pennsylvania-still-has-11-for-sale

I have seen old flat bed railroad car platforms used for bridges. They sell them outside of Smithville.

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Build ramps on each side!

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Need a culvert of any size? Look up Seabreeze Culvert in Winnie and Floresville. Edward post here quite a bit 409-296-4098