Landing Masonry Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Landing Masonry Bridge, also designated Bridge 44.53, is a 136 feet (41.5 m) long stone structure over the Morristown Line
and Montclair-Boonton Line
tracks maintained by New Jersey Transit
in the community of Landing, New Jersey
, United States. The bridge contains the two-laned Morris County Route 631 (Landing Road) and passes the nearby Lake Hopatcong Station
. The bridge, constructed by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
before re-construction of the Lake Hopatcong Station in 1907 at milepost 44.53 from Hoboken Terminal
. However, the structure has slowly deteriorated since construction, and has been deemed structurally deficient. The New Jersey Department of Transportation
and New Jersey Transit
have announced the replacement of the bridge, choosing to make it four lanes wide rather than the two currently.
and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
's mainline through Landing, New Jersey
existed at least by 1905. The old structure hovered above the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western's Hopatcong Station under its left span and the Morris Canal over the right, facing westward. The old steel structure had cable-swayed, including two towers to support it, steeling barriers and stairs to support access from the bridge to the station below. The structure also had two pony truss sidings. In 1907, construction began a new stone masonry bridge over the station and canal.
The new bridge was open by 1910, the two arches both served as bridges over the Morris Canal (on the Landing side) and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western over the left (the station-bound side). The Hopatcong train station was perched on the middle of the three piers built for the bridge. For a time, both bridges, the original pony truss and the new stone masonry stood side-by-side, with the older bridge being an entranceway to the train station. The new bridge however, served for automobiles, horse-drawn carriages and the trolleys run by the Morris County Traction Company
.
Also in 1911, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad began service on December 24 of a newly-upgraded main line and the new Lackawanna Cut-Off, which was constructed north of the Hopatcong Station. As a result, after construction began on a new Lake Hopatcong Station in 1910 for $28,500. The new station, opening on May 28, 1911, was to the south of the Landing Masonry Bridge, with a large station building on Landing Road and two large pedestrian towers, similar to the original station. With the new station, the services of the former pony truss were eliminated and soon demolished. The Landing Masonry Bridge continued to be used by automobiles along Mount Arlington Road and Old Netcong Road. However by 1925, parts of the Morris Canal were filled in construction of Station Road under the old bridge to access the new station. The use of the Morris Canal ended in 1924, and during the ensuing five years, the canal was filled in by different structures. Currently, the Lake Hopatcong Station's 96-space parking lot sits under the northern arch.
and Sussex County
, and along with the aging bridge geometry, the stone masonry is beginning to develop cracks in its structure. The bridge was given by the United States Department of Transportation
in Washington D.C. a 19% sufficiency rating and deemed structurally deficient. The structurally deficient rating means its intolerable to handle the load it was built for and needs corrective action.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation
, based in Ewing, New Jersey, has put forward plans in their 2010 Capital Program to reconstruct the new highway with help by the Morris County Highway Department
to build a new four-lane bridge over the tracks. Because of the four lanes, design of this new bridge involves a complete realignment of Landing Road, creation of a new traffic light. Morris County does plan that once the new alignment is designed with community support, construction can begin on a new bridge. The new bridge's cost is slated to get funds from the New Jersey Turnpike Authority
for $800,000 during fiscal year 2010 for design, $750,000 for right-of-way acquisition in fiscal year 2011 and $6.575 million in fiscal year 2012 for construction of the new structure.
Morristown Line
The Morristown Line is one of New Jersey Transit's commuter lines and is one of two branches that run along the Morris and Essex Lines. Out of 60 inbound and 58 outbound daily weekday trains, 28 inbound and 26 outbound trains use the Kearny Connection to Secaucus Junction and New York Penn...
and Montclair-Boonton Line
Montclair-Boonton Line
The Montclair-Boonton Line is a commuter rail line of New Jersey Transit Rail Operations. It is part of the Hoboken Division. The line is a consolidation of three individual lines: the former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad's Montclair Branch, which ran from Hoboken Terminal to Bay Street,...
tracks maintained by New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit rail operations
New Jersey Transit Rail Operations is the rail division of New Jersey Transit. It provides regional rail service in New Jersey, with most service centered around transportation to and from New York City, Hoboken, and Newark...
in the community of Landing, New Jersey
Landing, New Jersey
Landing is a small settlement and unincorporated area located within Roxbury Township, New Jersey, on the south shore of Lake Hopatcong near Hopatcong State Park...
, United States. The bridge contains the two-laned Morris County Route 631 (Landing Road) and passes the nearby Lake Hopatcong Station
Lake Hopatcong (NJT station)
Lake Hopatcong Station is a New Jersey Transit station in the Landing section of Roxbury Township, New Jersey. It is named for the nearby Lake Hopatcong. The station is located at the intersection of Landing Road and Lakeside Boulevard...
. The bridge, constructed by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
before re-construction of the Lake Hopatcong Station in 1907 at milepost 44.53 from Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal is one of the New York Metropolitan area's major transportation hubs. The commuter-oriented intermodal facility, is located on the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey...
. However, the structure has slowly deteriorated since construction, and has been deemed structurally deficient. The New Jersey Department of Transportation
New Jersey Department of Transportation
The New Jersey Department of Transportation is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey. It is headed by the Commissioner of Transportation...
and New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
have announced the replacement of the bridge, choosing to make it four lanes wide rather than the two currently.
History
The original bridge over the Morris CanalMorris Canal
The Morris Canal was an anthracite-carrying canal that incorporated a series of water-driven inclined planes in its course across northern New Jersey in the United States. It was in use for about a century — from the late 1820s to the 1920s....
and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
's mainline through Landing, New Jersey
Landing, New Jersey
Landing is a small settlement and unincorporated area located within Roxbury Township, New Jersey, on the south shore of Lake Hopatcong near Hopatcong State Park...
existed at least by 1905. The old structure hovered above the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western's Hopatcong Station under its left span and the Morris Canal over the right, facing westward. The old steel structure had cable-swayed, including two towers to support it, steeling barriers and stairs to support access from the bridge to the station below. The structure also had two pony truss sidings. In 1907, construction began a new stone masonry bridge over the station and canal.
The new bridge was open by 1910, the two arches both served as bridges over the Morris Canal (on the Landing side) and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western over the left (the station-bound side). The Hopatcong train station was perched on the middle of the three piers built for the bridge. For a time, both bridges, the original pony truss and the new stone masonry stood side-by-side, with the older bridge being an entranceway to the train station. The new bridge however, served for automobiles, horse-drawn carriages and the trolleys run by the Morris County Traction Company
Morris County Traction Company
The Morris County Traction Company began trolley service in downtown Dover, New Jersey in July 1904. It was expanded over the years until the system was completed in 1914 all the way to Newark, New Jersey, via Morristown, New Jersey and Summit, New Jersey....
.
Also in 1911, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad began service on December 24 of a newly-upgraded main line and the new Lackawanna Cut-Off, which was constructed north of the Hopatcong Station. As a result, after construction began on a new Lake Hopatcong Station in 1910 for $28,500. The new station, opening on May 28, 1911, was to the south of the Landing Masonry Bridge, with a large station building on Landing Road and two large pedestrian towers, similar to the original station. With the new station, the services of the former pony truss were eliminated and soon demolished. The Landing Masonry Bridge continued to be used by automobiles along Mount Arlington Road and Old Netcong Road. However by 1925, parts of the Morris Canal were filled in construction of Station Road under the old bridge to access the new station. The use of the Morris Canal ended in 1924, and during the ensuing five years, the canal was filled in by different structures. Currently, the Lake Hopatcong Station's 96-space parking lot sits under the northern arch.
Planned replacement
Although the structure was reconstructed (and rehabilitated) in 1972, the Landing Masonry Bridge, now traversed by Morris County Route 631, has severely deteriorated in condition. The bridge has become incapable of holding the current and future traffic loads along Landing Road from Interstate 80Interstate 80 in New Jersey
Interstate 80 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States, running from the New York City Metropolitan Area westward to San Francisco, California...
and Sussex County
Sussex County, New Jersey
The County of Sussex is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 Federal decennial census, 149,265 persons resided in Sussex County...
, and along with the aging bridge geometry, the stone masonry is beginning to develop cracks in its structure. The bridge was given by the United States Department of Transportation
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...
in Washington D.C. a 19% sufficiency rating and deemed structurally deficient. The structurally deficient rating means its intolerable to handle the load it was built for and needs corrective action.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation
New Jersey Department of Transportation
The New Jersey Department of Transportation is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey. It is headed by the Commissioner of Transportation...
, based in Ewing, New Jersey, has put forward plans in their 2010 Capital Program to reconstruct the new highway with help by the Morris County Highway Department
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
to build a new four-lane bridge over the tracks. Because of the four lanes, design of this new bridge involves a complete realignment of Landing Road, creation of a new traffic light. Morris County does plan that once the new alignment is designed with community support, construction can begin on a new bridge. The new bridge's cost is slated to get funds from the New Jersey Turnpike Authority
New Jersey Turnpike Authority
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is a state agency responsible for maintaining the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway...
for $800,000 during fiscal year 2010 for design, $750,000 for right-of-way acquisition in fiscal year 2011 and $6.575 million in fiscal year 2012 for construction of the new structure.