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Stony Brook Bridge - Princeton Pike

Mercer County, New Jersey

Photos 

1907 postmark

Similar to the 1792 Rt. 206 bridge that is a mile or two upstream. View looking downstream

Photo uploaded by Art S.

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View this photo at ebay.com

BH Photo #440124

Map 

Description 

Copied from the 2002 update of the 1987 NJ historic bridge survey

SETTING / CONTEXT The 3-span stone arch bridge is on the historic Princeton & Kingston Branch Turnpike, a road constructed in 1807 between Trenton the Kings Highway in Kingston. The bridge is on a sharp curve, and it crosses a wide shallow stream in a wooded residential area just south of the borough of Princeton.

SUMMARY Reportedly built in 1809, the impressive 3-span rubble-coursed stone arch bridge is well proportioned. It has been extensively rebuilt over the years. The north arch and ice breakers collapsed partially in 1973, but were rebuilt as were the parapets. A slab was added to carry live loads. The bridge is still a significant early engineering accomplishment and a remnant of the Princeton Turnpike, chartered in 1804. It is one of three ca. 1800 3-span stone arches in the area. All are eligible.

Facts 

Overview
Stone arch bridge over Stony Brook on CR 583
Location
Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey
Status
Open to traffic
History
Built 1809; rehabilitated 1979
Design
Stone arch
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 40.0 ft.
Total length: 110.9 ft.
Deck width: 22.0 ft.
Recognition
Eligible for the National Register of Historic Places
Approximate latitude, longitude
+40.32686, -74.68038   (decimal degrees)
40°19'37" N, 74°40'49" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
18/527152/4464086 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Princeton
Average daily traffic (as of 2017)
16,400
Inventory numbers
NJ 1100005 (New Jersey bridge number)
BH 25366 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Inspection report (as of February 2017)
Overall condition: Fair
Superstructure condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Sufficiency rating: 60.2 (out of 100)
View more at BridgeReports.com

Categories 

19th Century (8,346)
Arch (12,652)
Built 1809 (6)
Built during 1800s (32)
Deck arch (11,889)
Mercer County, New Jersey (86)
NR-eligible (4,107)
 New Jersey (1,693)
Open (40,969)
Owned by county (21,606)
Princeton, New Jersey (11)
Span length 25-50 feet (16,218)
Stone arch (3,280)
Total length 100-125 feet (5,372)

Update Log 

  • January 21, 2020: Updated by Art Suckewer: Added details and history of bridge
  • December 25, 2019: New photo from Art Suckewer
  • December 30, 2018: New photo from Art Suckewer
  • July 22, 2016: Updated by Art Suckewer: Corrected build date from 1900 to 1800 and ammended name

Sources 

  • Art Suckewer - Asuckewer [at] knite [dot] com

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