Gibraltar Road/Waterway Canal Bridge

The Gibraltar Road Bridge is eligible for the National Register under Criterion C for the aesthetic quality of the cantilevered concrete T-beam design. It is also eligible under Criterion A, as a noteworthy product of the Wayne County Road Commission. When the county paved Gibraltar Road in the early 1930s, it erected several new bridges along the route, including a reinforced-concrete cantilevered-arch span over a local canal. The 1931-1932 annual report of the Wayne County Road Commissioners noted that 'this low sweeping arch bridge is in keeping with its surroundings and is one of the features which make Gibraltar Road so attractive.' Plans for the bridge (#403), prepared under the supervision of chief designer F.H. Chapin, are retained by the Wayne County Department of Public Works. The bridge is an excellent example of the attractive and creative designs developed by the Wayne County Road Commission.

A small canal runs between the mainland and Swan Island, which is located at the base of the Trenton Canal, near where the Detroit River flows into Lake Erie. Gibraltar Road is carried to Swan Island by a three-span concrete cantilevered T-beam bridge. The suspended center section of the 52-foot main span is 9 feet long. Two 5.5-foot sidewalks flank the 38-foot roadway. The total deck width measures 53 feet. The concrete balustrade railing has urn-shaped spindles. The bottom of the span's ten T-beams are curved to suggest an arched structure, making the bridge an attractive focal point for the surrounding village. The structure is supported by concrete abutments and wing walls. A marina is to the north.