Calhoun Street Bridge

Luke,

I’m not. sure how to answer either of your points.

That bridge is fairly light weight and was less than 10 years old in 1904. It was probably made as a traction/trolley bridge. Since we don’t know who it was made for and where it was originally located, it’s tough to say more than it was fabricated at the Phoenix Bridge Co. plant. I just put forward a possibility that D&W may have been involved since they sometimes used the Phoenix plaque design, and the plaque on the bridge isn’t 100% standard Phoenix.

Regarding D&W’s description and listing here: there is some merit to what you said. However, you would be opening a gigantic can of worms. This is a D&W bridge in the same way every other D&W bridge is. Also, D&W isn’t the only major company listed on this site that functioned similarly.

Regards,

Art S.

This is different from the traction bridge, which was clearly a railroad bridge that was reused by a traction company.

This is a road bridge that was later used by a traction company in addition to road.

I still wouldn't give D&W full builder credit, because they're agents ordering superstructures from Phoenix.

So Luke,

Expanding on the traction company bridge discussion from earlier this week, who made this one? I know what the top plaque says. Note the bridge plaques in some of the older images in the entry and here:

http://digital.lib.lehigh.edu/cdm4/bridges_viewer.php?CISORO...

Tony,

I'd rather see it remain open to traffic. To the best of my knowledge, its well maintained, guarded from trucks and not deteriorating.

Regards,

Art S.

I'm kind of torn on this one...

There's a part of me that loves seeing this 137 year old beauty still being used, but perhaps a larger feeling that it would be nice to see it retired for pedestrian use only. I realize what an undertaking that would be to realign the route with a new bridge and the enormous funding that would be needed. Then of course ownership of the old bridge would have to be addressed as the DRJTBC likely wouldn't want to maintain it. But it sure would be nice to see all of the signing and added junk removed so that this gorgeous bridge could be fully appreciated.

I realize I'm coming into the conversation about "security" on this bridge 7-8 months late, but the guards for the Calhoun have been chasing photographers away from there for decades. When I showed up to scope out the bridge, back in March 2001, someone came out of the guardhouse to yell at me. And the year prior, the Lincoln Highway Association was doing a tour of the route through Trenton, and when some of them got off the bus to get photos of the state line sign, the guard(s) attempted to chase them off as well.

I realize I'm coming into the conversation about "security" on this bridge 7-8 months late, but the guards for the Calhoun have been chasing photographers away from there for decades. When I showed up to scope out the bridge, back in March 2001, someone came out of the guardhouse to yell at me. And the year prior, the Lincoln Highway Association was doing a tour of the route through Trenton, and when some of them got off the bus to get photos of the state line sign, the guard(s) attempted to chase them off as well.

Sidewalks being done - still well maintained and heavily used 1884 wrought iron Phoenix Column bridge!

https://www.newsbreak.com/pennsylvania/morrisville/traffic/2...

Art,

I have a personal contact at this agency and he told me that the guards at this particular bridge (more than any of their other bridges) are "overzealous" is I think the word he used. So I guess I am not the first person to have troubles at this bridge. But you are correct their primary duty is to monitor for weight limit violations, so in general they do a great service to protecting these historic bridges. I have never had any problems at any of their other bridges.

Meh,

I think Nathan just ran into a moron. The main function of the ‘guards’ is keep overweight vehicles off. An important job for a very high traffic (10K + vehicles per day),1000’+ long, Phoenix Column, wrought iron bridge from 1884!

I’m glad that someone is paid to keep an eye on it. The fact that Nathan got harassed is a bonus! A proper New Jersey welcome!

Regards,

Art S.

Thanks Nathan for clearing that question up about the cameras.As for security I agree that it is needed in this day and age being that 9-1-1 opened up everybodys eyes to what can happen anywhere including this bridge.Also it is a great idea to clear picture taking with the security on either side of the bridge.Would it hurt to mention Bridgehunter the website as a site for the pictures that are taken?

George asked about the cameras on the bridge. The bridge is owned by the Delaware Joint Toll Bridge Commission so its their security officials who monitor the bridge. Also, the security guards at this bridge are a little more intense than at other bridges owned by the DJTBC. I was confronted by the security and had to get them to contact a friend of mine at the DJTBC before they would even let me take photos on the bridge sidewalk... to me restricting photography doesn't seem legal as the agency is a public governmental agency and the sidewalk is public, but in either case, they can't stop you from taking photos beside the bridge. But if you want to take photos on the sidewalk and not have a huge argument on the bridge with the security people, you may want to contact the DJTBC in advance of your visit to make arrangements.

I noticed security cameras on the bridge.Who watches the cameras,Pa or N.J.?

The street (and bridge) were named after Alexander Calhoun.

From trentonhistory.org: "Calhoun Street is the outgrowth of Calhoun Lane, where Alexander Calhoun lived and kept a general merchandise store, about at its junction with Pennington Avenue. The lane led from this point, crossing what used to be the river road near where the present feeder runs, and ended at Beatty's Ferry on the river. It was an important artery of traffic in the early days and today it forms one of the two principal outlets of the city to Pennsylvania."

The street was named for Calhoun. I'm not sure who the bridge was named for.

For whom was the Calhoun Street Bridge named?

Nathan, thanks for the suggestion. I've contacted them, and will post any answers they provide

Bob, The bridge owner The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission would be the most likely source of this information.

I just examined the two end posts on the middle truss, southern (PA) side, and both are as Ian Anderson described them in 2009. The original Phoenix columns are reinforced with long flat steel plates bolted above and below them -- these plates were preserved when the bridge was renovated in 2010. (I think the other "fixes" he described on the old bridge were made unnecessary during the renovation, but these reinforcements clearly had to be kept.)

Still interested to know why the reinforcement was necessary and when it was done, but I have no idea how to research this. Anyone?

Thanks for the response, Nathan. Yes, those are the truss end posts I was referring to. This pair differs from the other 13, which are the more elaborate, and graceful, Phoenix columns. However, the upper and mid-height bracings that connect them transversely are identical to those joining the other end post pairs, as are the decorative finials above them. There must be a story behind this, some irregularity that made it necessary either when the bridge was built 1882, or when it was repaired around 1950 (I believe)or even during the 2010 rehabilitation. Are there engineering records that would provide an explanation?

Bob,

Are you referring to this detail:

https://goo.gl/maps/PO5Jk

It appears to be either a (perhaps old) alteration of original end posts, or replacement of original end posts. I (embarrassed to say) have not field visited this bridge, and so am just going off of Google Street View.

This is an amazingly graceful truss bridge, lightweight girders and ornate details. Does anyone know why the southern end posts on the third or fourth truss seem to be of a heavier material?. This feature was preserved even after the rehabilitation about five years ago – was it a quirky part of the original design, or was it made necessary by some unusual occurrence?

Nice picture in article on Lincoln Highway signs:

http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/news/communities/fall...

Found this image. Note the ice. I don't recall the piers being painted though:

http://lovesphotoalbum.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Calhou...

Interesting article. Note the piers are from a prior bridge and date to 1861. Also, the piers from the Trenton Makes bridge are 207 years old!

http://www.centraljersey.com/articles/2014/02/07/hopewell_va...

More info on the bridge as well as pictures:

http://lincolnhighwaynews.wordpress.com/tag/trenton-nj/

I went across this bridge last weekend, and with the normal traffic that jams up across it I was able to see what's been done to the bridge in the past. Some of the eyebar diagonals have been cut and spliced with bolted plates, counter-diagonal rods have been replaced with steel cable, steel cable has also been used to reinforce the tension diagonals in some places. (Presumably the bottom chord as well, but I couldn't tell from the car.) Finally, at least one of the phoenix columns has been partially covered with a piece of bolted box-steel.

The DRJTBC is supposed to start rehabilitating this bridge late this year, so other modifications are bound to happen then. Oh well, still a beautiful truss bridge!

This bridge should be in another category as well, Wrought Iron. Here's the DRJTBC's page on it:

http://www.drjtbc.com/default.aspx?pageid=78