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Branch Bermudian Creek Bridge

York County, Pennsylvania

Photos 

Gone

Bing

BH Photo #194698

Map 

Description 

This historic bridge was destroyed by a drunk and stoned driver in 2008. A replacement slab of concrete is to be built in 2012.

FROM THE 1996-2001 PENNSYLVANIA HISTORIC BRIDGE SURVEY: The single span, 61'-long, metal Pratt pony truss bridge is supported on stone abutments with wingwalls. The truss is composed of built-up compression members and eye bar and rod tension members. It has pin connections with the exception of cast iron connecting pieces at the upper chord-end post connections, a detail often associated with Wrought Iron Bridge Co. pony truss bridges from the early 1880s to 1890s. The original built-up verticals, which were T-section with lacing, have been replaced by welded channel sections with battens (ca. 1997). The rivets at the pin plates were replaced with bolts. One of the end posts has been replaced with welded channel sections, and the other ends posts have been strengthened by welding channel sections to the webs. The upper chords have been strengthened with bolted channel sections to the interior faces. U-shaped hangers support rolled floorbeams that have been strengthened by cover plate welded to the flanges. The floorbeams carry steel stringers and an open grid steel deck placed in 1949. Lower lateral bracing rods have been lost and replaced by welded channel sections. The bridge has significant loss of original fabric, and it is one of the least complete examples of at least 13 Wrought Iron Bridge Co. metal truss bridges from 1884 to 1899 identified in York County. More complete pony truss bridges with similar connection details include BMS #'s 66 2030 0040 2432 (ca. 1890); 66 4038 0060 0387 (ca. 1890); 66 7213 0563 3037 (1890).

Facts 

Overview
Lost pony truss bridge over a branch of Bermudian Creek on PA 4032
Location
York County, Pennsylvania
Status
Destroyed by collision
History
Built 1893; rehabilitated 1949; Destroyed by a drunk and stoned driver in 2008.
Builder
- Wrought Iron Bridge Co. of Canton, Ohio
Design
Pony truss
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 55.1 ft.
Total length: 61.0 ft.
Deck width: 12.1 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 32.8 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+40.02667, -77.00083   (decimal degrees)
40°01'36" N, 77°00'03" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
18/329269/4432634 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Dillsburg
Average daily traffic (as of 2009)
234
Inventory numbers
PA 66 4032 0042 0000 (Pennsylvania Bridge Management System number)
PANBI 38004 (Pennsylvania BRKEY bridge number on the 2011 NBI)
BH 31858 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Inspection report (as of July 2009)
Overall condition: Poor
Superstructure condition rating: Serious (3 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Critical (2 out of 9)
Deck condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Sufficiency rating: 20.1 (out of 100)
View more at BridgeReports.com

Categories 

19th Century (8,707)
Built 1893 (244)
Built during 1890s (3,229)
Destroyed by collision (102)
Lost (29,205)
Lost 2008 (375)
Lost during 2000s (4,421)
One-lane traffic (7,928)
Owned by state (16,594)
 Pennsylvania (6,213)
Pony truss (17,095)
Span length 50-75 feet (10,468)
Structurally deficient (12,810)
Total length 50-75 feet (9,639)
Truss (36,056)
Wrought Iron Bridge Co. (449)
York County, Pennsylvania (165)

Update Log 

  • March 28, 2012: Updated by Nathan Holth: Updated description and status.
  • December 26, 2011: Updated by Jodi Christman: Added builder and description
  • March 2, 2011: Updated by Jodi Christman: Updated status

Sources 

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Comments 

Branch Bermudian Creek Bridge
Posted January 4, 2014, by ArtS (asuckewer [at] knite [dot] com)

Picture of wrecked bridge in article about it's replacement:

http://www.ydr.com/ci_20230486/collapsed-1893-bridge-being-r...