Manayunk Bridge

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Manayunk Bridge
LOOKING SOUTH, BRIDGE CROSSING SCHUYLKILL RIVER. - Pennsylvania Railroad, Manayunk Bridge, Spanning Schuylkill Expressway (I-76), Schuylkill River and Green Lane, Philadelphia, HAER PA,51-PHILA,723-4.tif
The then-unused Manayunk Bridge in 1999
Coordinates 40°01′31″N75°13′35″W / 40.02528°N 75.22639°W / 40.02528; -75.22639
CarriesFormer SEPTA Ivy Ridge Line
Crosses Schuylkill River and Schuylkill Expressway
Locale Manayunk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Maintained by SEPTA
Characteristics
Design Open spandrel deck arch
Material Concrete
Longest span150 feet (46 m)
No. of spans15
Piers in water3
History
Designer Pennsylvania Railroad
Constructed byT. L. Eyre (Philadelphia)
Construction end1918
Closed1986, reopened as a trail bridge in 2015
Location
Manayunk Bridge

The Manayunk Bridge (also known as the Manayunk Viaduct, Pencoyd Viaduct, and Schuylkill River Railroad Bridge [1] ) is an S-shaped former railroad bridge over the Schuylkill River, Schuylkill Canal and Schuylkill Expressway, that connects Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County and the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Closed to rail traffic in 1986, it is now an extension of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail (along the river's west bank) and connects to the Schuylkill River Trail (along the east bank).

Contents

History

Built by the former Schuylkill Valley Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, it is a large concrete open spandrel arch bridge built in an "S curve," earning both the current concrete bridge and its 1883 wrought-iron-truss predecessor the nickname of "S-Bridge." [2] The bridge's challenging geometry was executed by T. L. Eyre, a Philadelphia contractor. Another notable feature is the saw-toothed construction joints along a 65-degree skew. [3]

In 1976, SEPTA purchased the bridge for its Ivy Ridge Line (now Cynwyd Line). Ten years later, after weather-related expansion and contraction of the bridge, and the shedding of pieces of concrete due to spalling, SEPTA closed the bridge on October 25, 1986, truncating service at Cynwyd and suspended service to three of the line's six stations (Ivy Ridge, West Manayunk, and Barmouth). [4] Between 1996 and 1999, the bridge was stabilized and refurbished. [5] The effort determined that the internal steel reinforcement was not compromised, as SEPTA had feared. [2] Further investigation by Urban Engineers determined that the bridge was safe and only needed surface work to stop the spalling. [2]

Aerial view of Manayunk Bridge, facing Lower Merion, showing the S curve. Aerial View of Manayunk Bridge.jpg
Aerial view of Manayunk Bridge, facing Lower Merion, showing the S curve.

SEPTA has not resumed service to Ivy Ridge; in 1996 low ridership led SEPTA to consider discontinuing service to Cynwyd altogether. [6]

Manayunk Bridge Trail

Between 2008 and June 2010, SEPTA removed all 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of tracks north of Cynwyd for the Cynwyd Heritage Trail [7] and Ivy Ridge Rail Trail. [8]

Walkers on the Manayunk Bridge Trail in October 2015, shortly after the trail opened Walkers on Manayunk Bridge, October 2015.jpg
Walkers on the Manayunk Bridge Trail in October 2015, shortly after the trail opened

On October 30, 2015, the ribbon was cut on the Manayunk Bridge Trail, a conversion of the bridge for use by people walking and bicycling. Designed by Whitman, Requardt & Associates, LLP, the trail features separate areas for walking and bicycling, along with a shared plaza in the center of the bridge that can be programmed for special events. Railings and fencing are in keeping with the historic industrial nature of the bridge.

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manayunk station</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cynwyd station (SEPTA)</span> SEPTA Regional Rail station

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barmouth station (SEPTA)</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Brooke Roberts</span>

George Brooke Roberts was a civil engineer and the fifth president of the Pennsylvania Railroad (1880–96).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cynwyd Line</span> SEPTA Regional Rail line

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manayunk/Norristown Line</span> SEPTA Regional Rail line

The Manayunk/Norristown Line is a commuter rail service in Southeastern Pennsylvania between Center City Philadelphia and Norristown, and one of the 13 lines in SEPTA's Regional Rail network. It has the fourth highest ridership and the highest operating ratio (58%) on the SEPTA Regional Rail network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cynwyd Heritage Trail</span>

The Cynwyd Heritage Trail is a 1.8-mile rail trail in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, on Philadelphia's Main Line. The trail surface is partially asphalt and crushed stone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manayunk West station</span> Former rail station in Pennsylvania

Manayunk West, often just Manayunk, was a SEPTA Regional Rail station in Manayunk, Philadelphia. It was located on ex-Pennsylvania Railroad Schuylkill Branch and served by SEPTA's Ivy Ridge Line commuter trains. The station stood at the corner of Dupont and High, a short distance from the ex-Reading Company station at Manayunk. SEPTA suspended service beyond Cynwyd on May 27, 1986, because of poor track conditions and concerns about the Manayunk Bridge. The station has since been demolished.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pencoyd (Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania)</span>

Pencoyd was a historic house and farm in Bala Cynwyd, Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Located along the north side of what is now City Avenue, the farm originally stretched from the Schuylkill River to Conshohocken State Road. Settled by John Roberts in 1683, his descendants owned the property for 280 years. The house was built c.1684–1690, and demolished in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pencoyd Bridge (Pennsylvania)</span> Bridge in Philadelphia/Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

The Pencoyd Bridge was a former PRR industrial spur serving Pencoyd Iron Works and local industries from Schuylkill Branch. It is part of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail and connects Bala Cynwyd with Manayunk. The bridge was redeveloped and reopened in 2016 as a bicycle trail. The project was funded by the MLP Ventures.

References

  1. ↑ Treese, Lorett (2003). Railroads of Pennsylvania: Fragments of the Past in the Keystone Landscape. Stackpole Books. p. 40. ISBN   9780811726221 – via Google Books.
  2. 1 2 3 Spivey, Justin M. (April 2000). "Pennsylvania Railroad, Manayunk Bridge" (PDF). Historic American Engineering Record. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  3. ↑ Wolf, Albert M. (February 9, 1918). "New Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge at Manayunk, Pa". Railway Review. 62 (6): 194–199.
  4. ↑ "Starting the Second Life of a Manayunk Icon".
  5. ↑ Veksler, Rafail; Thorat, Abhay P. (September 1999). "The Arch Bridge Mystery". Civil Engineering. 69 (9): 48–51.
  6. ↑ Williams, Gerry (1998). Trains, Trolleys & Transit: A Guide to Philadelphia Area Rail Transit. Piscataway, New Jersey: Railpace Company. p. 84. ISBN   978-0-9621541-7-1.
  7. ↑ "Friends of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail".
  8. ↑ "Ivy Ridge Green". Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2011-09-08.

Further reading

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