New Hope-Lambertville Bridge

Infobox_Bridge
bridge_name= New Hope-Lambertville Bridge


caption
official_name= New Hope-Lambertville Toll Supported Bridge
carries=2 lanes of PA 179/NJ 179
crosses= Delaware River
locale= Lambertville, New Jersey and New Hope, Pennsylvania
maint= Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission
design= Truss bridge
mainspan=convert|171|ft|m|0
length= convert|1053|ft|m|0
width= convert|23|ft|m|0
load= 4 tons
clearance= convert|13|ft|m|0
traffic= 13,900cite web | url=http://www.drjtbc.org/default.aspx?pageid=9 | year=2005 | title=Traffic Counts | publisher=Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission | accessdate=2007-04-11]
open= 1904
toll= None
coordinates= Coord|40|21|54|N|74|56|55|W|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,titleThe New Hope-Lambertville Bridge, officially called the New Hope-Lambertville Toll Supported Bridge, is a six-span, convert|1053|ft|m|sing=on-long bridge spanning the Delaware River that connects the city of Lambertville in Hunterdon County, New Jersey with the borough of New Hope in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.cite web | url=http://www.drjtbc.com/default.aspx?pageid=74 | year=2005 | title=New Hope-Lambertville Toll Supported Bridge | publisher=Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission | accessdate=April 22 | accessyear=2007] The current steel truss bridge was constructed in 1904 at a cost of $63,818.81. [Richman, p. 79.] It is owned and maintained as a toll-free bridge by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.

History

The original convert|1051|ft|m|sing=on-long and convert|32|ft|m|sing=on-wide wooden covered bridge was built on September 12, 1814, replacing the service once provided by Coryell's Ferry. [Richman, p. 78.] Its six wooden arches each measured convert|175|ft|m long and convert|13|ft|m high.cite web | url=http://www.pennridge.org/works/newhope.html | title=New Hope-Lambertville Bridge | publisher= Pennridge School District | accessdate=April 22 | accessyear=2007] Its designer, Lewis Wernwag, was nationally known for his covered bridges. [cite web | url=http://buckscountycoveredbridgesfestival.org/history.htm | year=2007 | title=Pennsylvania Covered Bridge History | accessdate=April 11 | accessyear=2007] The flood of 1841 heavily damaged the original bridge. A second wooden covered bridge was constructed in 1842, but was destroyed during the flood of 1903. As was the case with several of the Delaware River's other bridges at the time, the flood encouraged replacing the wooden structure with a modern steel bridge. Thus, the superstructure of the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge dates to 1904, when its steel truss spans were first built. The cost of the 1904 bridge was $63,818.81, several thousand dollars less than the $67,936.37 needed to build the 1814 structure. [Richman, p. 79.]

In 1919, the Commission For the Elimination of Toll Bridges bought the bridge, freeing the financially struggling private company from its obligations.cite web | url=http://www.njskylands.com/hsdelbridges.htm | year=2007 | title=Hunterdon's Delaware Bridges | publisher=New Jersey's Great Northwest Skylands | accessdate=April 22 | accessyear=2007] The bridge has been toll-free since that time.

The New Hope-Lambertville Bridge was one of the few structures not devastated by the flood of 1955, the greatest that the Delaware River had ever experienced. It did, however, require about a month of repairs, reopening on September 22, 1955.

tructure

The New Hope-Lambertville's vertical truss members are convert|27|ft|m in height. Three of its piers are stone filled and built on timber cribbing. The bridge's abutment, which is from the 1814 bridge, is square blocked masonry. Finally, utilities on the bridge include lighting for the walkway and an eight-inch (203 mm) diameter sewer line.

Realignment

For many years the New-Hope Lambertville Bridge carried U.S. Route 202 over the Delaware River. However, in 1971, U.S. Route 202 was realigned at Magill's Hill between the Rabbit Run Canal bridge and the Phillip's Mill community on the Pennsylvania side. The New Hope-Lambertville Toll Bridge currently carries Route 202, while the New Hope-Lambertville Toll Supported Bridge connects the re-designated Pennsylvania Route 179 with New Jersey Route 179.

Improvement Project

As part of its celebration of the 100th anniversary of the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge in 2004, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission announced the completion of a major revitalization project that had begun in late 2003. The contract had been awarded to J.D. Eckman, Inc. for the amount of $6,249,207.50.cite web | url=http://www.drjtbc.org/default.aspx?pageid=107 | year=2003 | title=Major Construction Contract Awarded in New Hope-Lambertville Toll-Supported Bridge Project | publisher=Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission | accessdate=April 22 | accessyear=2007] Renovations included improving the pedestrian walkway with new flooring and lighting, fixing the bridge's sewer line, replacing steel members, and blast-cleaning and painting the bridge's structural steel. During construction, bridge traffic fell to 9,700. Beginning in January 2004, shuttle service was offered at no cost to travelers.cite web | url=http://www.drjtbc.org/default.aspx?pageid=130 | year=2004 | title=DRJTBC Launches No-cost Bus Shuttle Service for Travelers During Repairs to New Hope-Lambertville Free Bridge | publisher=Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission | accessdate=April 22 | accessyear=2007] The bridge reopened June 7, 2004, one week ahead of schedule, and was named "2004 Project of the Year" by the Delaware Valley Section of the American Society of Highway Engineers. The final cost of the project was $6,305,269.

References

ources

*Richman, Steven M. (2003). "The Bridges of New Jersey", New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press. Pages 78-79. ISBN 0-8135-3510-7.

External links

* [http://newweb.erh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=phi&gage=nhpp1&type=0&view=1,1,1,1,1,1 Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service]

Crossings navbox
structure = Crossings
place = Delaware River
bridge = New Hope-Lambertville Bridge
bridge signs =
upstream = New Hope-Lambertville Toll Bridge
upstream signs =
downstream = Washington Crossing Bridge
downstream signs =