Washington Crossing Bridge

Infobox_Bridge
bridge_name= Washington Crossing Bridge


caption=
official_name= Washington Crossing Toll Supported Bridge
carries=2 lanes of PA 532/CR 546
crosses= Delaware River
locale= Titusville, New Jersey and Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania
maint= Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission
design= Truss bridge
mainspan=convert|143|ft|m|0
length= convert|877|ft|m|0
width= convert|15|ft|m|0
load= 3 tons
clearance= convert|8|ft|m|0
traffic= 6,500 [cite web | url=http://www.drjtbc.org/default.aspx?pageid=9 | date=2005 | title=Traffic Counts | publisher=Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission | accessdate=2007-04-04]
open= 1904
toll= None
coordinates= Coord|40|17|43|N|74|52|5|W|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,title

Washington Crossing Bridge (officially referred to as Washington Crossing Toll Supported Bridge) is a truss bridge spanning the Delaware River that connects Titusville, Hopewell Township in Mercer County, New Jersey with Washington Crossing, Upper Makefield Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1904 by the Taylorsville Delaware Bridge Company. The bridge is currently owned and operated by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.

History

On February 14, 1831, an act was passed by the New Jersey Legislature and concurred by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, creating the Taylorsville Delaware Bridge Company.cite web | url=http://www.drjtbc.org/default.aspx?pageid=71 | title=Washington Crossing Toll Supported Bridge | publisher=Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission| accessdate=2007-06-14] By the act's provisions, a bridge was to be located at Taylor's Ferry, close to where George Washington crossed the Delaware River in 1776. This timber bridge was constructed beginning in 1831 and was completed in 1834. Its six spans gave it a total length of 875 feet. [Richman, Steven M. (2003). "The Bridges of New Jersey", New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press. Pages 79-80. ISBN 0-8135-3510-7.] The first bridge remained in service until it was swept away by the flood of January 8, 1841. A replacement bridge was constructed shortly afterward and remained in service until it was carried away by the flood of October 10, 1903. In 1904, the bridge's current steel superstructure was built.

.

During the fall of 1994, the bridge underwent an extensive structural rehabilitation. As described by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, "Many truss members were replaced with new fabricated galvanized steel. Floor system members and the open steel grid deck were replaced in the first three bays of each end span. All remaining structural steel was blast cleaned, metallized, and painted. A new wooden sidewalk was installed and renovations were made at both approaches to the bridge."

tructure

that was added in 1926. [cite web | url=http://www.pennridge.org/works/washcross.html | date=2005 | title=Washington Crossing Bridge | publisher=Pennridge School District | accessdate=2007-04-01]

Recent Floods

There have been several floods in the last few years that have either damaged or closed Washington Crossing Bridge. The first of these was the result of heavy rains received on September 17th and September 18th in 2004. The remnants of Hurricane Ivan were the cause of the rainfall, which totaled 3 to convert|5|in|mm in a 12-hour period. Flood peaks along the main section of the Delaware River were the highest since the flood of 1955. [cite web | url=http://nj.usgs.gov/special/flood0904/ | date=July 20, 2005 | title=Summary of September 17-23, 2004, flooding on the Delaware River and its tributaries in New Jersey | publisher=New Jersey Water Science Center| accessdate=2007-04-01] The bridge was temporarily closed.

Unusually heavy rains experienced in late March 2005 and early April 2005 combined with melting snow resulted in another flood. [cite web | url=http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/Flood_Website/events.htm#2005 | title=Recent Flooding Events In The Delaware River Basin | publisher=Delaware River Basin Commission | accessdate=2007-04-05] One of the piers of Washington Crossing Bridge had its masonry core exposed after being battered by a floating object. In the aftermath of the flood, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission requested $500,000 in emergency flood repairs. Although the bridge remained opened for a short time following the flooding, it was closed on April 7th, 2005, when receding flood waters revealed the extent of the damage to the pier. The bridge was reopened to continuous traffic on May 4th, 2005, although it was closed for nighttime repairs beginning May 18th. [cite web | url=http://www.drjtbc.com/default.aspx?pageid=254 | date=2005 | title=Washington Crossing Bridge To Open Continuously On Wednesday, May 4, 2005 | publisher=Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission| accessdate=2007-04-01]

Most recently, in 2006, the Delaware River experienced 3 to convert|6.5|in|mm of rain from June 23 to June 28. The river's peak levels were comparable to those of the April 2005 flood. [cite web | url=http://nj.usgs.gov/special/flood0606/ | date=July 28, 2006 | title=Summary of June 28-29, 2006 flooding in the New Jersey part of the Delaware River Basin | publisher=New Jersey Water Science Center| accessdate=2007-03-30] Washington Crossing Bridge was closed until July 1, when it reopened to vehicular and pedestrian traffic at 10:15 a.m. [cite web | url=http://www.drjtbc.org/default.aspx?pageid=398 | date=July 1, 2006 | title=Washington Crossing Toll Supported Bridge Now Open | publisher=Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission| accessdate=2007-06-17]

ee also

*List of crossings of the Delaware River

References

External links

* [http://newweb.erh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=phi&gage=wasn4&view=1,1,1,1,1,1 Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service]

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