Recent Pennsylvania Comments
Post a comment Contact webmasterCan't wait to go bridge spotting tomorrow with my daughter Laran. She was with me when we found our bridge off it's piers. Pennsylvania doesn't have a great rep.
Any other bridges we should go see on our route from Baltimore, north to near Harrisburg?
Robert???? Tony???? Nathan???? Jason???? James????? anybody with an opinion.
Been too long since I've gone poking around a new bridge for me. Too much fun. And no, we are not making a dime off this investigative trip.
The date I posted was based on the Pre-Constuction schedule included with the contract package and very well may be subject to change. Its not uncommon for projects to be delayed slightly.
Our history is vanishing from the landscape, to be replaced with behemouth concrete monstrosities.
As of the June 2013 Summerhill Township Supervisors meeting, the Wing Road Bridge remains open for travel,with no word from PADOT as to an actual start date for demolition and replacement. Demolition had been slated for July 2013.
We've been asked to come and look at this bridge by a home owner nearby. The Township says it needs to be removed so that emergency vehicles, like a fire tanker can cross. There seem to be many alternative routes but the township, like so many others, have drank the coolaid and want it to be gone. It feeds rural area and not many people. Wonder how those tankers crossed before.
Nontheless, we will go shed some light and make some noise. What I do best, I guess, even when it goes nowhere someone has to stand up for these bridges. Nels will be at the end of the photographs making some assessments as well. We have experts and if the substructure is good, then why?
Tell me why? Have a great day folks. Going to go see the Orioles play the Red Sox. Should be a good old day at the ball field. Never been to Camden Yards before.
This bridge has been torn down and is being replaced (June 2013)
We weren't posting about who "got it" first.
Jacob pointed out that he'd accidentally added a bridge twice, I went "Oh hey I noticed that and made it into an entry for the new one" and he pointed out that there was already an entry for the 1907 bridge, thusly making the page a redundant entry for a different bridge.
Also, your claim that Jacob and my conversing is "clogging" the message boards is an asinine claim, as Jacob and I have made a total of THREE posts pertaining to the entry (Not including my response to your whine.)
So it seems that you're getting a wee bit irate over nothing.
Could you guys please send these things to each other instead of clogging up the message boards? Nobody else cares who got it first.
Well, I assumed that that bridge had been built on the same piers.
My bad.
But there is already a page for the 1900's bridge. ID is BH 43085
You accidentally made two entries for the 1800s bridge, so I made this entry for the 1900s bridge.
Ron Jones & I looked pretty hard for this bridge 6/5/09. If it's still there, we sure couldn't find it. The time to look for it would be during the winter months when there's no foliage. That area is quite overgrown in June.
THIS BRIDGE IS AN ACCIDENTAL DUPLICATE OF BH 56373.
Looked for this bridge again, 3/25/13. Didn't take the map with me, so was working from memory. Assuming I was in the right place, this bridge has been replaced.
Bridge still there. I took these photos 3/25/13.
Wow does PENNDOT have something against preserving historical bridges or something? You would think that a state like PA would try and preserve some of it's historical beauty.
The data pages for this bridge at this time are not digitized. I got the LOC to send me the data pages however. I am attaching to this post.
View attachment #1 (PDF document, version 1.4, 127880 bytes)
photo take on Jan 29th 2013
The bridge is owned by East Manufacturing, leased to Kasgro Rail, and operated by NCIR. It's mostly used by Kasgro for car storage but NCIR has operated over it on occasion.
This bridge was damaged in a flood in 2012 and I believe it is now closed.
I like (NoT) how the officials are OK spending $2M, but $600K was too much to rehab this bridge. And why is it these news articles never discuss how long the wonderful, new UCEB bridge will last vs. the rehabbed bridge. Will the UCEB really last 114 years? Doubt it. (ok off my soapbox)
It doesn't matter how much frosting you put on a turd, it's still not going to turn into a birthday cake.
Looks likes big trucks want a new bridge here. This is a bridge that should be repaired and retained in place.
If the big industry boys want new bridges for their own self serving interests, perhaps they should start investing in their own roads.
We are getting involved with this suspension bridge. The reports show good overall except for superstructure. What needs to be restored to get those numbers up.
Photo removed. Sorry for any confusion.
Good eye, Clark.
I think it may be US 1 over Cobbs Creek at 39.975115,-75.280355
Check that street view.
I guess someone should inform the wikipedia folks since we agree that this image does not go with the bridge over east branch Indian Creek.
Don
Looking at the railing on the photo it does not match the street view of either of these bridges. The photo on this page appears to be a third bridge.
The problem is ...
This bridge is right.
The photo is right.
The photo actually belongs however to the newly added City Line Bridge found here >.>
http://bridgehunter.com/pa/philadelphia/city-line-avenue/
I found it listed in the 1992 NBI. Not in any others since.
As it was not listed prior a contributor figured the image surely must go to the one found here.
Oh, Yeah
39.985325,-75.258815 is it's position.
The name is right, it's just linked to the wrong NBI data.
See this page:
SEPTA probably wouldn't lay track under a bridge in what appears to be a stream with a small weir, so I'd have to agree that the picture is incorrect.
Bridgehunter challenge: Name that bridge and put it on it's correct page.
Don
Pretty sure the picture isn't the correct one...
You can paint it a Rainbow of colors, cover it in rich fabrics and lace, sprinkle it with glitter and rhinestones, and polish it to a mirror-like finish...
But a turd is still a turd!
I love how they are defending the UCEB by calling it simple but elegant. I have found no matter how they package a UCEB it is still a UCEB with money wasted. It seems both ODOT and Penn Dot are sparing structurally deficient and in need of repair UCEBS and Steel Stringer Bridges to replace rather then rehabilitate beautiful truss bridges.
Bridge closed
Norfolk Southern Railroad not CSX
Sadly, this bridge was replaced last year - 2012 - by a modern soulless concrete impostor. I will try to get a picture next time I am out that way.
It's Pennsylvania and its a metal truss bridge. You were expecting something other than being doomed?
This bridge was ordered closed effectively immediately, and I guess also doomed.
http://fox43.com/2013/01/24/lancaster-county-bridge-ordered-closed-immediately/#axzz2IuU3QEU8
If you look at the photo in the below post, you most certainly will need a...
Here is an article that explains some of the issues that the contractor has run into with the reconstruction project.
Story Link: http://www.observer-reporter.com/article/20130115/NEWS01/130119536/-1/news#.UPy5-ie7N8E
The new bridge will be a haunched steel girder design, similar to the Veterans Bridge in Downtown Pittsburgh. All of the piers have been replaced and use formliners to simulate textured stone.
High quality picture of the new bridge under construction:
When this bridge reopens in 2013, it will be renamed the Gov. John K. Tener Memorial Bridge.
Link to story:
Years ago my father reported that this bridge and others like it were dismantled and used in the war effort in the European campaign. It was hinted that it was used in France and returned. It's construction certainly lent itself to being disassembled and moved fairly easily. I have always wondered if this was true. He had said that someone local had witnessed the events. Needless to say...
Now that it is gone my questions have lost most of their significance,
Earl Ludwig
Nathan:
Actually, I can imagine this, especially if the assessment was done several years ago. In Kansas, we lost a lot of outstanding bridges that were not NRHP eligible, but those surveys were done in the early 1980s, when historic bridges were far more common. Those same bridges would undoubtedly qualify today. This fact is reflected in NBI listings that now qualify many remaining bridges as eligible, even though they generated little interest in the early 1980s.
Perhaps PennDot's findings are just way out of date.
To make it worse, this beautiful, largely unaltered, multi-span riveted thru truss was, under PennDOT's Historic Bridge Inventory "Not Eligible" for the National Register of Historic Places, a completely unreasonable assessment in my opinion. Can you imagine a bridge such as this being considered NOT HISTORIC in today's world? Only in Pennsylvania.
42 year old temper tantrum commence @#!&^*%$#@ !!!
Demo video:
Sorry....
WAS a nice bridge before the PennDOT Reaper passed through...
Replaced in 2012.
See a photo of the remains of the dam:
http://www.phoenixvilledoes.com/2012/09/01/trails-trails-everywhere/img_1510/
The original dam is pretty much gone. On the south side o the bridge there is a parking area by the powder mill I surrounded by a fence. Follow the trail through the woods and the dam was back there. It is soon to be a walking trail.
It should be of note that this is used annually (in May) for the River Towns Marathon: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmvb/5958099124/
photo 2 is looking EAST toward nj.
i lived in washington crossing nj for 18 yrs.
great site, thanks.
This bridge was originally the bridge over the Codorus Creek on Glatfelters Station Rd. It did not come from Adams County. I know as I watched Kinsley Construction move it to a field in front of the stone house, near where it presently is. This was done sometime in the 80's I think.
The concrete bridge you mentioned is a mile away upstream and is located at the end of Oyster Mill Rd and Magaro Rd.
The covered bridge was never replaced
Well, if $50 is all it takes, I will be nominating my tool shed - once I get it parked over the creek that is.
Well, I had to know: Why is something this plain given an award?
I found the award list and the way I read it, this thing was nominated but was not an actual winner. Reading the nomination form, it appears anyone with $50 can nominate a bridge.
Some of the other nominations are actually interesting and/or attractive solutions. I still don't see anything outstanding about this new bridge.
Award list:
http://www.abcd-susquehanna.org/Pages/Awards/2010-2011%20ABCD%20results.pdf
Yes indeed, most definitely a POOP QUAKE!
This calls for a revival of one of the best phrases ever....POOP QUAKE! (Thanks, Wayne!)
It's been a while, so... I got your reward right here!
(Todd Baslee Photo)
What was the replacement bridge's achievement and why was it deemed "outstanding?" I fail to see anything unique or noteworthy about a 90 foot spread box beam bridge.
York County Bridge 193 Honored
Published Tuesday, April 26, 2011 7:00 am
York, PA — York County’s Bridge No. 193 has been awarded the Association for Bridge Construction and Design's Outstanding Achievement Award in the Short Span Bridge category. The award was presented on Monday, April 18, 2011 at the awards dinner meeting held at the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel located in Harrisburg, PA.
Owned by York County, Bridge No. 193 is a 90’ single span, pre-stressed concrete spread box beam structure located over Little Conewago Creek at a “T” intersection between Conewago and East Manchester Townships. It replaced a one-lane wrought iron through-truss bridge that was erected at the site in 1889. The new bridge offers improved approaches, a wider deck to safely accommodate two-way traffic, and a longer span to allow for improved stream flow. C.S. Davidson, Inc. completed design of the bridge replacement which was funded with federal, state and local monies. The project was completed in October 2010.
The Historic Eight Arch Bridge or Pettit's Bridge as it was once called because of Pettit's corner and Pettit's Tavern was listed on the National Register Sept 1983. It's listed under Bridge Valley, Pettit's and Warwick Township. At one time the County listed it as a canoe ramp. The County has long since withdrawn it's involvement which is another reason for it's current condition. The townships involvement with the bridge has been sparse due to cut backs and reduced staff. Even though it's been mostly neglected for years I still witness local families with children come and spend time there along with fishermen and hikers. It can be scary at night since there is no lighting.
"The Bridge no one wants" as it's been written has been owned by the Warwick Historical Society since 1993. Their main focus is now and has always been the Moland House. Any problems with the bridge should be reported to them.
I don't think this was built by Phoenix Bridge Co. I think they only built Iron/Steel Bridges. Can anyone for sure verify the above info?
I just found a picture of my grandmother standing on this bridge from around 1930,
The bridge actually just popped up on the ECMS contract packages today. The info includes:
Let: 11/29/2012
Anticipated NTP: 01/14/2013
Required Completion: 11/18/2013
Early Start for Bridge Demo is Feb 2013.
According to Penn DOT's sixth month planner on their ECMS website, this bridge is due to come out for bid in February 2013.
This bridge, on Cemetery Road, is now closed to traffic, pending replacement in the near future.
This bridge is still used for foot traffic every hunting season including 2012/13 season. It is a lifeline between the hunting areas and cabins located on rocky forest road. The quarry owner is trying to halt us from using this public right of way. Any help to prevent this would be of great appreciation. We are care takers of the bridge and its historical significance.
Also worth noting that PennDOT has triggered Section 106 with this bridge. The proposed undertaking is currently described as a rehabilitation project.
Bridge is posted for a 7 ton weight limit Our crew will be rigging bridge for a safety inspection 10/29/12.... I will get some more pics for this site..........Rusty
This bridge was removed in the last 5 years.
Marion,
Contact me through www.historicbridges.org and when i get back from a trip i am on i can help you.
As you know the Martins Creek Viaduct will be 100 years old in 2015 as will the Tunnkhannock Viaduct. Nicholson Heritage Association (see our web site) is planning a 3 day celebration that year. Also I understand Brooklyn Historical Society is interested in doing something for the Martins' Creek Viaduct. When we did our 75th celebrationin 1990 we could not anyone interested in doing something for the little brother bridge "up route 11". Could someone do a brochue with the stats of the bridge? And some history? Would love to see that!
M. Sweet
Chairman Nicholson Heritage Association
I also have a sketch of one span of the bridge drawn by William C. Weer drawn in 1854
Thanks to Lance Myers himself, this has been cleared up, the original photo I had used was indeed Stone Creek II but the bridge and it's info are from the smaller one known as Isenberg-Crossing or Stone Creek I. So to clear up all the confusion this is Isenberg aka Stone Creek Bridge on the old Right of Way on the future Rail to Trail along the Juanata.
I agree that this photo is of East Afton Avenue which is north of Letchworth.
This bridge is getting confused with Stone Creek Bridge II http://bridgehunter.com/pa/huntingdon/bh52643/
I do think this photo is NOT for the Isenberg Bridge which is located at 40.565266,-78.064224 but for Stone Creek Bridge II.
The photograph above is the old PRR bridge over Standing Stone Creek in the Borough of Huntingdon, PA. It was built
between the Summer of 1848 and Spring of 1850. The abandoned bridge was never used for pedestrian traffic.
This photo shows the second aqueduct, made of iron and built
in 1865. It replaced the earlier wooden aqueduct, the piers of which are just visible slightly upstream from the piers of this build. The Jackstown aqueduct was destroyed in the "Johnstown" flood of 1889, and never replaced.
This is Afton Ave. Not Letchworth Ave.Letchworth is an all metal bridge.
FYI- This Church Lane bridge is "near" Ancient Oaks, not "in". The bridge is considered to be in the town of Trexlertown. There were actually two bridges at this location, and they were located parallel to each other. One bridge carried the trolley line from Wescosville to Breinigsville of the 'then' Catasauqua and Fogelsville Railroad. The other carried Church Lane over the Catasauqua and Fogelsville Railroad. The bridge was originally built in 1899 by H. E. Ahrens and Brothers Contractors.
Unfortunately, The Historical Bridge Data does not provide a "Minimum navigation vertical clearance." As someone who kayaked under it in July a few years ago, I thought it was close to 60', but then I searched and discovered this person thought it was close to 90' http://www.flickr.com/photos/rlsycle/4693723919/
One of the older bridges was 40' from the river surface, and I know they raised the height thereafter. Something to note is that the measurement from bridge deck to top of the river surface will change as the river height changes due to the elements so the height will not stay consistent throughout the year.
I checked the web site for the bridge height and cannot find it anywhere. I would like to know the height from the center of the bridge to the rivver. Anyone have this information?????
Just some pics since I've recently moved into the area and I've always been fascinated by this bridge. It's currently closed to pedestrians and all other traffic. Hopefully soon to be part of a rail trail.
In the header at the top of every page it states, "historic and notable bridges". So _I_ think that means not just historic. Of course, "noteable" is at least as hard to pin down as "historic". For me - if I find that a bridge catches my eye and I find it interesting, I'll list it here. I figure there will be at least one or two others - now or some future day - who will also find it interesting.
And for those fixated on "historic", there is a 1920's culvert near here that should fit everyones definition of historic - but I'm sure not going to bother including it!
So, Andrew, I say bring 'em on. I like this one! But then again, I'm just one little contributor.
My county and the county next door seem to have a generic modern Warren pony design for fairly short spans that get normal loads. I've seen the same bridge in 3 or 4 places now, in several colors, and in single and double span implementations. I've started noting it as a local generic design, but it could be state wide or national for all I know. It works, the job gets done, and if you see enough of them they start to look cool.
I've been using the NBI map to point out the local bridges that aren't covered yet, and then hunting them down and posting them. We have hundreds around here. But I've drawn my own personal line at all the boring Pi-shaped slabs of concrete with railings that pass for bridges these days. I don't wanna do them.
But that whine isn't fair to the essential bridge meme though: bridges are what they are because they are the cheapest possible thing available that will cross from point A to point B safely and will last X years with Z amounts of traffic load. Oh, and these days, unless it's a massive project, all your parts had better be able to show up on a tractor trailer. Aesthetics lose out to finances; most local bridges are function over form, sometimes without even enough left over for a coat of paint. At times in the past civic pride sometimes meant that plenty was spent on the pretty parts, but after a couple decades of painting and scraping them every couple years the charm wore off.
And of course there are exceptions, where towns got together and demanded something pretty or inventive that they could also drive across, and that's great ... and I'm enough of a cynic to be aware that town leaders can see the dollar signs in that. Especially since I live in a NJ town that is known for it's 1870 iron bridge, and the little red mill next to it. And all the tourists who come and look and spend money every weekend.
Sure, to me a great bridge design is ALSO beautiful, most often as a side effect, sometimes due to ornamentation, but I don't see much beauty in plain functional cement. Blah. You can get there with metal, or with wood, or maybe even plastics and carbon fiber, but not with utilitarian concrete.
Some users add the modern ones, I myself have added a couple of the modern ones (I added recycled railroad flatcar bridges). Some people on this site get really whiny about the inclusion of hte modern bridges, but if you want to add them, that's fine by me, and I know a plethora of other users who don't mind as well. I like the modern trusses. Whilst they don't have the same novelty and historic value as the older trusses, but they have better aesthetics when compared to a concrete slab or aluminum culvert piping, and they also have more charm than the aforementioned culverts. Just forewarning you that you'll get flack for uploading modern bridges.
Oh, are we only supposed to do "historic" ones? Nobody told me. I think a modern bridge that has a high cuteness factor deserves mention, and for all I know the computer simulations have shown that this is an effective truss shape.
Also a wee FYI: When adding a city's name, you do not need to add the state name (especially not the postal abbreviations). The site automatically adds it for you.
In before anon-boy gives you hell for adding something that isn't "historic"
I just posted the latest NBI data for this bridge. It's no longer considered structurally deficient, but the superstructure is rated "poor."
For a "structurally deficient" bridge, this old suspension bridge can sure handle the weather. Follow the link for a pic of the bridge when the river was in flood 33 feet high -
The traffic ratings are probably higher than listed. I went in the early afternoon on a weekday, and there was a car or light truck every 45 seconds. In the hour I spent on the bridge it was rare when there weren't 2 vehicles on it, and it was almost never empty for more than 30 seconds. So it's getting a fair amount of use, even out here in really rural Riegelsville.
It is believed this bridge was visited today; just want to make sure. Is this located in Stoystown PA just off Lambertsville Road near Shanksville PA Flight 93 location? I think the road sign said Covered Bridge Road. It is located right behind what I thought looked like the red barn pictured in the Flight 93 initial crash images taken by a local homeowner in the area. Our father is originally from Somerset PA and we have family still residing in the area. Myself and sister(s) are from Virginia Beach VA and plan to visit as many covered bridges in Somerset County. Whether this is the actual bridge visited today is beside the point as we found such joy in the experience and plan to "hunt down" as many as possible in the future. Thank you for maintaining the bridges and this website!
i grew up there. spent lots of time sitting on bridge watching the trains. it was a phoenixville mailing address with our boxes a mile out that dirt road acrossed from the bull tavern parking lot n the pay phone that stood there. not only did the bridge lead to brick company but a dump where we took our trash but later was closed by the state. the bridge has been repaired since the land was sold n houses were built. still a great place to grow up!!!
The bridge was removed after flooding in November, 2011. As of July, 2012 it has not yet been replaced and there are no plans to replace it anytime soon.
The bridge is still there as of 7/21/12. I was in Pennsylvania and drove by it. That bridge replacement sign might be there but I do not recall seeing it.
This bridge is gone.
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