Concord Bridge

Photos 

Oblique view.

Photo Courtesy Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

BH Photo #164091

Map 

Description 

I encountered a photo from Clyde Laughlin's collection that called this the "Red Bridge" which is suitable since the stone was a reddish color.

Additional Information From Determination of Effect Report 

The Back Road/Concord Bridge is a one-lane, two-span, 67-foot-long, closed spandrel stone arch bridge erected in 1832 with rubble masonry spandrel walls and parapets. The bridge received its name from the roadway it carries over the Tuscarora Creek (Back Road), as well as its location at the southwest limits of the Village of Concord, which was founded ca. 1790. According to local history, the bridge was built by master mason John Weaver, who was noted for his work on bridges and other stone structures, including dwellings, in Franklin County during the antebellum period. The bridge is supported on stone abutments and a bull nose pier. Circa 1911, the original stone coping was replaced with poured concrete coping. In 1981, the bridge abutments and pier were underpinned with concrete, and a section of the spandrel wall over the center pier on the north side was repaired in-kind after it collapsed in 1996 (A.G. Lichtenstein & Associates Inc 1999) The Back Road/Concord Bridge was determined eligible as part of the Pennsylvania Historic Bridge Survey. The bridge was determined eligible under Criterion C for its historic and technological significance s a representative example of a bridge built by master mason John Weaver, and as a complete and early surviving example of the traditional stone arch bridge type in the county and region (see Appendix B). Character defining features of the stone arch bridge include the voussoir arches, the cut and coursing of the stone, the stone abutments and wing walls, the stone arch barrel, and the stone parapets (Skelly and Loy, Inc. and DMJM Harris 2007). Although the bridge has undergone repairs and alterations, it retains all of the character-defining features and therefore retains integrity of design, materials, and workmanship as a two-span, closed spandrels stone arch bridge with stone parapets. The rural setting remains intact, and the bridge retains its location facilitating traffic along S.R. 4007 (Back Road) over the Tuscarora Creek. The retention of integrity of design, materials, workmanship, setting, and location contribute to the property's retention of integrity of association and feeling as a two-span, closed spandrel stone arch bridge erected in 1832.

Facts 

Overview

Stone arch bridge over Tuscarora Creek on Back Road (PA 4007)

Location

Franklin County, Pennsylvania

Status

Open to traffic

Future prospects

Slated for demolition and replacement.

History

Built 1832. Rehabilitated in 1911 and 1981

Builders

- Frank Harry (did repairs in August, 1911)
- John Weaver

Design

Stone arch. BMS# is 28400701302526

Dimensions

Length of largest span: 29.9 ft.
Total length: 66.9 ft.
Deck width: 16.4 ft.

Recognition

Eligible for the National Register of Historic Places

Also called

Back Road Bridge
Red Bridge

Approximate latitude, longitude

+40.24843, -77.70442   (decimal degrees)
40°14'54" N, 77°42'16" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")

Approximate UTM coordinates

18/269975/4458840 (zone/easting/northing)

Quadrangle map:

Doylesburg

Average daily traffic (as of 2013)

285

Inventory numbers

PA 28 4007 0130 2526 (Pennsylvania Bridge Management System number)
PANBI 17584 (Pennsylvania BRKEY bridge number on the 2011 NBI)
BH 45152 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Inspection report (as of April 2012)

Overall condition: Poor
Superstructure condition rating: Serious (3 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Poor (4 out of 9)
Sufficiency rating: 25.9 (out of 100)
View more at BridgeReports.com

Categories 

Update Log 

• April 19, 2012: Updated by Jodi Christman: Added description and add'l name
• July 3, 2011: Updated by Jodi Christman: Added details
• April 24, 2011: New photos from Jodi Christman
• May 2, 2010: Essay added by Nathan Holth

Sources 

• Nathan Holth
• Jodi Christman - masterofchaos [at] outlook [dot] com

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