Ward's Bridge
Encyclopedia
Ward's Bridge carries NY 17K
across the Wallkill River
at the western end of the village of Montgomery
in Orange County
, New York
, USA. It is named, as its predecessors were, for James Ward, an early settler in the area who established his grist
mill
on what is now the village side and built the first bridge in the mid-18th century. Originally, Montgomery was even called Ward's Bridge, and today a nearby restaurant calls itself the Ward's Bridge Inn.
The mill has long since been demolished, but the earliest buildings in the village that were built around it still stand and are now the Bridge Street Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. Another Registered Historic Place, the Daniel Waring House
, is located at the corner of 17K and River Road on the western side.
The current bridge, a steel through truss
, is 231 feet (70 m) long, with a 22-foot (7 m) roadway and small sidewalk on the eastern (downriver) side. It was built in 1940, and renovated in 1982.
, since the bridge is the main connection for travel between two regions of the county. The combination of nearby intersections and the layout of Route 17K through the area. The western approach funnels vehicles from the northwest, via county highways like Albany Post Road and River Road (the direct route between Montgomery and Walden
). Both terminate at 17K within a quarter-mile (400 m) of the bridge. Within the same distance to the east, in the village, there is the traffic light
at the north end of NY 211
, which connects Montgomery to Middletown
and Goshen
, via NY 416
.
Route 17K also bends sharply as it intersects both highways to the west, then takes a 90-degree turn onto Ward Street as it enters the village and encounters the light, for eastbound traffic the first since Bullville
, six miles (10 km) to the west. Both turns slow traffic approaching in either direction, and it in turn backs up drivers on Albany Post and River roads trying to make left turns on 17K.
These issues were aggravated between 2003–2005, when the construction of the Walden Veterans' Memorial Bridge
downstream led the state Department of Transportation
to detour truck
traffic to 17K, since the Walden Low Bridge could not handle the prolonged heavy loads.
New York State Route 17K
New York State Route 17K is an east–west state highway located within Orange County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with County Route 76 east of Bloomingburg to a junction with U.S. Route 9W midway across the city of Newburgh...
across the Wallkill River
Wallkill River
The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, drains Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, flowing from there generally northeasterly to Rondout Creek in New York, near Rosendale, with the combined flows reaching the Hudson at Kingston....
at the western end of the village of Montgomery
Montgomery (village), New York
Montgomery is a village located in Orange County, New York, United States, 60 miles northwest of New York City, and 90 miles southwest of Albany. The population was 3,636 at the 2000 census...
in Orange County
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA. It is named, as its predecessors were, for James Ward, an early settler in the area who established his grist
Grist
Grist is grain that has been separated from its chaff in preparation for grinding. It can also mean grain that has been ground at a grist mill. Its etymology derives from the verb grind....
mill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
on what is now the village side and built the first bridge in the mid-18th century. Originally, Montgomery was even called Ward's Bridge, and today a nearby restaurant calls itself the Ward's Bridge Inn.
The mill has long since been demolished, but the earliest buildings in the village that were built around it still stand and are now the Bridge Street Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Another Registered Historic Place, the Daniel Waring House
Daniel Waring House
The Daniel Waring House, also known as Indian Hill, is located on River Road just outside the village of Montgomery , New York, United States...
, is located at the corner of 17K and River Road on the western side.
The current bridge, a steel through truss
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
, is 231 feet (70 m) long, with a 22-foot (7 m) roadway and small sidewalk on the eastern (downriver) side. It was built in 1940, and renovated in 1982.
Traffic patterns
Traffic on the bridge is very heavy at rush hourRush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
, since the bridge is the main connection for travel between two regions of the county. The combination of nearby intersections and the layout of Route 17K through the area. The western approach funnels vehicles from the northwest, via county highways like Albany Post Road and River Road (the direct route between Montgomery and Walden
Walden, New York
Walden is the largest of three villages of the Town of Montgomery in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 6,978 at the 2010 census. It has the ZIP Code 12586 and the 778 telephone exchange within the 845 area code...
). Both terminate at 17K within a quarter-mile (400 m) of the bridge. Within the same distance to the east, in the village, there is the traffic light
Traffic light
Traffic lights, which may also be known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, signal lights, robots or semaphore, are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic...
at the north end of NY 211
New York State Route 211
New York State Route 211 is a state highway located entirely within Orange County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus is at the intersection with US 209 located in Cuddebackville, and the eastern terminus is located at Montgomery at NY 17K, where it becomes the...
, which connects Montgomery to Middletown
Middletown, Orange County, New York
Middletown is a city in Orange County, New York, United States. It lies in New York's Hudson Valley region, near the Wallkill River and the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains. Middletown is situated between Port Jervis and Newburgh, New York. The city's population was 25,388 at the 2000 census...
and Goshen
Goshen (village), New York
Goshen is a village in and the county seat of Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 5,676 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
, via NY 416
New York State Route 416
New York State Route 416 is a state highway located entirely within the towns of Hamptonburgh and Montgomery in Orange County, New York, in the United States. It does not intersect any other state routes besides those at its termini, nor pass through any settlements...
.
Bullville, New York
Bullville, New York is a hamlet in the Town of Crawford in Orange County, New York, USA. It is located at the junction of routes NY-17K and NY-302.Bullville was one of the original four important settlements in the Town of Crawford....
, six miles (10 km) to the west. Both turns slow traffic approaching in either direction, and it in turn backs up drivers on Albany Post and River roads trying to make left turns on 17K.
These issues were aggravated between 2003–2005, when the construction of the Walden Veterans' Memorial Bridge
Walden Veterans' Memorial Bridge
The Walden Veterans' Memorial Bridge, sometimes referred as the Walden High Bridge, from its predecessor, carries NY 52 over the Wallkill River in the Orange County village of Walden, New York, USA...
downstream led the state Department of Transportation
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
to detour truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
traffic to 17K, since the Walden Low Bridge could not handle the prolonged heavy loads.