Port of Chester

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Port of Chester
Commodore Barry Bridge From Ferry Rd.jpg
Port of Chester seen through Commodore Barry Bridge
Port of Chester
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Location
Country United States
Location Chester, Pennsylvania
Coordinates 39°51′10″N75°20′39″W / 39.8527302°N 75.3442906°W / 39.8527302; -75.3442906
Details
Draft depth 45 feet
Air draft 188 feet [1]

The Port of Chester is an American port on the west bank of the Delaware River in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Centered around Chester it ranges into Marcus Hook to the south and Eddystone to the north. It is part of the Delaware Valley port complex and lies between the Port of Wilmington and the Port of Philadelphia. Traditionally, shipbuilding and later automobile assembly were the mainstays of the port. It has since given way to other manufacturing and recreational activities, with Penn Terminals the only traditional maritime facility.

Contents

History

Chester waterfront ca 1875 Chester waterfront ca 1875.jpg
Chester waterfront ca 1875

Location and access

The waterfront is part of the Delaware Valley port complex. It is located on the west bank of Delaware River in Chester, Eddystone and Ridley Park. It is upstream of the Trainer Refinery and downstream of Philadelphia International Airport. Stoney Creek, Chester Creek, Ridley Creek, Crum Creek and Darby Creek mouth along the shore. [2]

Shipping channel

Route 291 is known as the Industrial Heritage Highway Pennsylvania Route 291 map.svg
Route 291 is known as the Industrial Heritage Highway
CSX Philadelphia Subdivision at Chester CSX road slug 2358 Chester PA.jpeg
CSX Philadelphia Subdivision at Chester

In the "project of 1885" the U.S. government undertook systematically the formation of a 26-foot (7.9 m) shipping channel 600 feet (180 m) wide from Philadelphia to deep water in Delaware Bay. The River and Harbor Act of 1899 provided for a 30-foot (9.1 m) channel 600 feet (180 m) wide from Philadelphia to the deep water of the bay. [3]

Since 1941, the Delaware River Main Channel was maintained at a depth of 40 ft (12 m). A 102.5-mile stretch of this federal navigation channel, from Port of Philadelphia and Port of Camden to the mouth of the Delaware Bay, was deepened to 45 ft (14 m), which was completed in 2017. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

The Marcus Hook Range Lights are range lights downstream of the port; Tinicum Island Range Lights are upstream of it. Additional navigational aids are located along the shore. [10] [11]

Roads

Pennsylvania Route 291 parallels the river and is known as the Industrial Heritage Highway. [12]

The Commodore Barry Bridge carries U.S. Route 322. U.S. Route 13 also runs through Chester. Interstate 95 and Interstate 476 are nearby and intersect at Crum Lynne.

Rail service

Rail service to the port is within Conrail's South Jersey/Philadelphia Shared Assets Area, based at Pavonia Yard over Delair Bridge, the most downstream railroad bridge, crossing the Delaware at Pennsauken, New Jersey. [13] [14] The Stoney Creek Secondary parallels the port and has on site spurs. Norfolk Southern Railway (with connecting BNSF Railway service) and CSX Transportation Philadelphia Subdivision are also active.

The Wilmington/Newark Line, originally built by the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, is a commuter rail line is one of the 13 lines in SEPTA's SEPTA Regional Rail network.

Facilities

Maritime, water, energy and industrial

Kimberly-Clark at confluence of Chester Creek and the Delaware River Chester Creek PA mouth.JPG
Kimberly-Clark at confluence of Chester Creek and the Delaware River

Commercial, tourism and recreation

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References

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