Bridge Building

[MossRoad]

Washouts can always happen but I'm not too concerned here. I can literally step across the creek. I just don't want to drive the UTV up and down the bank turning it to a muddy mess. Just upstream, three feet maybe, is a woven wire field fence that would catch/slow most debris. The creek also just drains the hillside in my property. Maybe 10 acres or so. Dries up most summers. Really more of a fun project to do with my nephew than anything.
I've got a full size power "telephone" pole standing in my property. About three years ago the local EMC reran the power supply to my house when we renovated. They took all their equipment off the pole and I just left it standing for some future project. This may be it! Now I'm thinking I'll just put in two pole lengths as stringers and deck it over. Yes, the pole ends will be sitting in the dirt. If I get 5-10 years out of it I'll be happy. If it comes apart in two years, no biggie. And all material will be what I have on hand - zero out of pocket

For your uses and your description, that sounds fine!

 

[Fuddy1952]

Not in the budget! It's a very small stream. I could use a culvert just thought a little bridge would be nicer. Plus it's something my 12 year old nephew can do when he comes to the farm for his summer visit.
Wonder how long the telephone pole pieces would last if I put them parallel to the water flow and pretty much in the creek bed? They would sometimes have water flowing past them. Then I could put 2x12's on top for stringers.

How long is the creek on your property?
I'm faced with a similar dilemma on my place. Where I cross I'll put in lots of rip rap so it will build it up, and make a nice pooled drinking spot for horses up steam, large nature rocks are on either side. The rest of the creek is above 8 ft. down from ground level, about 15-20 ft. wide. I was going to put in a bridge but decided on a 4ft. pipe with rip rap/gravel on top.
I have a foot bridge which is a great big hickory tree fell over it. I just cut the top off flat with a chainsaw.

 

[TomIre]

I've got a lot of rock on the property. One creek crossing is where there is exposed rock so no problem turning it into a mud bog!
Creek only starts a few hundred yards from where I'm building the bridge. Long term, instead of one big pond, I plan to put in a series of small ponds/waterfalls. Probably a drop of 30 feet in that several hundred yards.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Yes, that was my point you could have several bridges for different purposes.
I have a spring I need to make a crossing. I need to post pictures, it's drawn on an 1840 map of this place. It's odd because outlet is maybe only 2ft-3ft wide but about 10 ft. deep.