Commodore Barry Bridge
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 | PUTTING THE FERRY OUT OF BUSINESSJPEG image (1.2 MB) Posted by Don Silknitter
With all the wind we have out there today it reminded me of the time I spent atop the Commodore Barry Bridge in Chester, PA. At 420 feet above the Delaware River you could feel the steel sway even with a mild breeze. |
Facts
- Overview
- Cantilevered through truss bridge over Delaware River on US 322
- Location
- Gloucester County, New Jersey, and Delaware County, Pennsylvania
- Status
- Open to traffic
- History
- Built 1974
- Builder
- - Delaware River Port Authority
- Design
- Through truss
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 1,644.1 ft.
Total length: 13,915.7 ft. (2.6 mi.)
Deck width: 60.0 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 17.0 ft.
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +39.82840, -75.37136 (decimal degrees)
39°49'42" N, 75°22'17" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 18/468221/4408777 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Bridgeport
- Average daily traffic (as of 2012)
- 39,131
- Inventory number
- BH 39019 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
- Inspection report (as of May 2018)
- Overall condition: Fair
Superstructure condition rating: Satisfactory (6 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Satisfactory (6 out of 9)
Deck condition rating: Satisfactory (6 out of 9)
Sufficiency rating: 72.7 (out of 100)
View more at BridgeReports.com
Update Log
- March 5, 2021: New photo from Don Silknitter
- May 7, 2016: New photo from Don Silknitter
- March 7, 2015: New Street View added by Clark Vance
- March 6, 2015: New video from Don Silknitter
- January 25, 2014: New photo from Don Silknitter
- January 21, 2014: New photos from Don Silknitter
- July 21, 2011: New photos from Stephen Greer
- June 18, 2011: New photos from Jodi Christman
- September 19, 2010: New photos from Doug Kerr
- February 1, 2009: Added by James Baughn
Sources
- Doug Kerr
- Jodi Christman - masterofchaos [at] outlook [dot] com
- Stephen Greer
- Daniel Hopkins - chimera [at] clovermail [dot] net
- Todd Wilson
- Don Silknitter
- Clark Vance - cvance [at] dogmail [dot] com
Comments
This bridge was built while I was in High School (Nether Providence). I recall it was the longest span of its type when built. I also (think) I recall there were some structural issues originally and that for many years there were cables installed to stabilize the trusses, I could be wrong about that, as I don't see the cables in any photo. I was always a little sad to see the Chester-Bridgeport Ferry go away when the bridge was opened. We used to take the ferry (and later the bridge) to the NJ shore. I personally enjoyed the ferry trip...Dad never did. The bridge was an occasional Friday trip to NJ in my HS days for...umm...refreshments that I could not purchase (legally) in PA:)
That is one humongous bridge! I haven't been across it, but I've driven past it. It's the highest thing on the landscape for miles, & is just beautiful!
Don, those are some pretty neat pictures!
I have a lot of bridge photos - but none like those you posted. Thanks for sharing.
I spent two summers working on the bridge in 1971 and 1972. Here are a few pictures during construction.
I'm not exactly sure about it being an HOV, but I do know that the bridge was built with a five-lane roadway without median separation so it could allow for flexibility in opening lanes during peak periods. I have seen this used based on traffic coming downto the NJ shore (Fri) and going from the shore home (Sun).
I see the flexible lane barrier like they use for the HOV on Interstate 30 in Dallas. How does it work on this bridge?
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/nj/gloucester/commodore-barry/
It is the longest span of its type in the United States, however, it is the fourth longest span in the world, with the longest cantilever truss span in the world being the famous Quebec Bridge http://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=qu...