New Hope-Lambertville Bridge
Encyclopedia
The New Hope-Lambertville Bridge, officially called the New Hope-Lambertville Toll Supported Bridge, is a six-span, 1053 feet (321 m)-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
. The current steel truss bridge was constructed in 1904 at a cost of $63,818.81. It is owned and maintained as a toll-free bridge by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission
.
The original 1051 feet (320.3 m)-long and 32 feet (9.8 m)-wide wooden covered bridge was built on September 12, 1814, replacing the service once provided by Coryell's Ferry. Its six wooden arches each measured 175 feet (53.3 m) long and 13 feet (4 m) high. Its designer, Lewis Wernwag, was nationally known for his covered bridges.
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.
In 1919, the Commission For the Elimination of Toll Bridges bought the bridge, freeing the financially struggling private company from its obligations. 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.
The New Hope-Lambertville Bridge is a six-span, pin-connected Pratt through truss containing 962 tons of steel. Its total length is either 1,045 or 1053 feet (321 m), depending on the source. Each span measures 171 feet (52.1 m). The bridge supports a cantilevered walkway on its southern side for pedestrians.
The New Hope-Lambertville's vertical truss members are 27 feet (8.2 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.
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.
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
that connects the city of Lambertville
Lambertville, New Jersey
Lambertville is a city in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 3,906.Lambertville was originally incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1849, from portions of West Amwell Township...
in Hunterdon County
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 128,349. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Flemington....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
with the borough of New Hope
New Hope, Pennsylvania
New Hope, formerly known as Coryell's Ferry, is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 2,528 at the 2010 census. The borough lies on the west bank of the Delaware River at its confluence with Aquetong Creek. A two-lane bridge carries automobile and foot traffic across the...
in Bucks County
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The current steel truss bridge was constructed in 1904 at a cost of $63,818.81. It is owned and maintained as a toll-free bridge by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission
Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission
The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission is a bistate, public agency charged with providing safe, dependable and efficient river crossings between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The DRJTBC was established under legislation enacted in the two states in 1934. The federal Compact for the...
.
History
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.
In 1919, the Commission For the Elimination of Toll Bridges bought the bridge, freeing the financially struggling private company from its obligations. 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.
Structure
Realignment
For many years the New-Hope Lambertville Bridge carried U.S. Route 202U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202 is a highway stretching from Delaware to Maine, also passing through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire....
over the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
. 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
New Hope-Lambertville Toll Bridge
The New Hope-Lambertville Toll Bridge carries U.S. Route 202 over the Delaware River, connecting Delaware Township in Hunterdon County with Solebury Township in Bucks County. The bridge, which opened in 1971, was built and is currently operated by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission...
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. 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. 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.Sources
- Richman, Steven M. (2003). The Bridges of New Jersey, New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press. Pages 78–79. ISBN 0-8135-3510-7.