Jordan Bridge over South Branch Elizabeth River
Photos
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Jordan Bridge Photo taken by C Hanchey in December 2008 |
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Jordan Bridge East Approach Photo taken by C Hanchey in December 2008 |
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Jordan Bridge Toll Plaza on East Approach Photo taken by C Hanchey in December 2008 |
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Jordan Bridge West Approach Photo taken by C Hanchey in December 2008 |
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Jordan Bridge West Approach Photo taken by C Hanchey in December 2008 |
Brief History
From the City of Chesapeake "Decommissioning the Jordan Bridge" brochureOriginally known as the Norfolk-Portsmouth Bridge, the bridge was completed at a cost of $1.25 million, and opened on August 24, 1928 as a toll bridge.
It is a Waddell & Harrington vertical lift drawbridge and was designed by Harrington, Howard, & Ash of Kansas City, Missouri. The construction was planned and financing organized by Carl M. Jordan, who operated Jordan Brothers Lumber Co. with his brother Wallace. The bridge was renamed for Carl Jordan many years later. He also served as general manager and executive vice president of the South Norfolk Bridge Commission, Inc. Ownership of the bridge was transferred to the City of Chesapeake after the Bridge Commission's indebtedness was satisfied in 1977.
In 2008, approximately 7,000 vehicles used the bridge daily. More than 10,000 lifts a year occurred for over 21,500 marine traffic vessels. In March 2008 an inspection was conducted and report findings indicated the need for repairs would total more than $4 million. The bridge was closed to traffic on November 8, 2008. When the bridge was closed, it had a posted weight limit of only 3 tons.
Facts
- Overview
- Vertical lift bridge over South Branch Elizabeth River on VA 337 in Portsmouth
- Location
- Chesapeake, Virginia
- Status
- Closed on November 8, 2008
- History
- Built 1926
- Builder
- - Waddell & Harrington
- Design
- Vertical lift
- Dimensions
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Length of largest span: 284.1 ft.
Total length: 2,050.0 ft.
Deck width: 20.0 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 9 ft.
- Recognition
- Eligible for the National Register of Historic Places
- Also called
- Norfolk-Portsmouth Bridge
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +36.80832, -76.29018 (decimal degrees)
36°48'30" N, 76°17'25" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 18/384914/4074385 (zone/easting/northing)
- USGS topographic map
- Norfolk South
- Inventory number
- BH 33648 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
- Inspection (as of 02/2007)
- Deck condition rating: Poor (4 out of 9)
Superstructure condition rating: Poor (4 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Poor (4 out of 9)
Appraisal: Structurally deficient
Sufficiency rating: 4.0 (out of 100) - Average daily traffic (as of 1996)
- 3,776