Pelham Bridge

Infobox Bridge
bridge_name = Pelham Bridge


caption = Bascule roadbed of Pelham Bridge. Co-op City is visible in the background
official_name = Pelham Bay Bridge
carries = Motor vehicles, Pedestrians, Bicycles
crosses = Hutchinson River
locale = New York City (The Bronx)
maint = New York City Department of Transportation
id =
designer =
design =Bascule bridge
material =Concrete, Steel
spans =Seven
pierswater =Six
mainspan = convert|80|ft|sp=us|lk=on
length = convert|891|ft|sp=us
width = Roadway:convert|40|ft|sp=us, Sidewalk:convert|7.5|ft|sp=us
height =
load =
clearance =
below = convert|17.5|ft|sp=us
traffic =
begin = August 9, 1906
complete = February 17, 1909
open = October 15, 1908
closed =
toll =
map_cue =
map_

map_text =
map_width =
coordinates = coord|40.86204|-73.81582‎|region:US-NY_type:landmark|display=inline,title
lat =
long =

Pelham Bridge is a bascule bridge located in the New York City borough of the Bronx. It carries Shore Road, and a walkway along the downstream side, over the Hutchinson River. The bridge is operated and maintained by the New York City Department of Transportation.

Unlike most movable bridges in the city, Pelham Bridge opens quite frequently; in 1998 (the last year for which statistics are available), it opened 2,168 times for vessels, plus 309 test openings.cite web |url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bridges/pelhamfacts.shtml |title=Pelham Bridge Facts |accessdate=2008-09-18 |work=Bridges |publisher=New York City Department of Transportation |location=New York City] The watercraft traffic is greater than for any other drawbridge in the city.Cite news | id=issn|0362-4331 | last = Collins | first = Glenn | title = Honors for Bridges Many Take for Granted | work = The New York Times | accessdate = 2008-09-18 | date = 2008-09-16 | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/nyregion/16bridges.html] In 1998, it was supposed to be replaced by a fixed high bridge according to Mayor Rudy Giuliani.Fact|date=September 2008

History

The first bridge at the site was a stone bridge built in 1815 that was destroyed in a storm on April 12, 1816. Another bridge wouldn't be built at the site for eighteen years. [cite web |url=http://historicpelham.blogspot.com/2005/12/first-stone-bridge-built-across.html |title=The First Stone Bridge Built Across Eastchester Creek in Pelham, 1814-1815 |accessdate=2008-09-18 |last=Bell |first=Blake |date=2005-12-08 |work=Historic Pelham]

The current bridge replaced an older one that required constant, expensive maintenance. The new bridge was opened to traffic on October 15, 1908 before it was fully completed so as to be able to save costs on maintaining the old bridge. During construction, the water main for City Island and Pelham Bay Park had to be interrupted, so water was imported from New Rochelle, costing the city $5,323.93. The bridge was completed on February 17, 1909 [cite web |url=http://www.nycbridges100.org/pelham-bay.php |title=Pelham Bay Bridge |accessdate=2008-09-18 |publisher=NYC Bridge Centennial Commission] at a total cost of $605,274.06.

The bridge was reconstructed in 1985. [cite web |url=http://www.nycroads.com/roads/pelham/ |title=Pelham Parkway |accessdate=2008-09-18 |publisher=Eastern Roads]

A celebration of the bridge's centennial is planned for October 28, 2008. [cite web |url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web |title=Events |accessdate=2008-09-18 |publisher=NYC Bridge Centennial Commission]

References

External links

* [http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bridges/pelham.shtml New York City Department of Transportation: Pelham Bridge]