Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge was a bridge spanning the Delaware River
that was destroyed in 1961.
) in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
and the community of Greensburg (known today as Wilburtha), in Ewing Township
, in Mercer County, New Jersey
. The bridge, which was built on stone foundations, measured 903 feet long and had six spans.
Little more than five years after having been built, the original bridge was damaged in a flood on January 8, 1841. Three of its spans were swept away, and it was replaced with another wooden bridge. For the next sixty years, the replacement bridge operated profitably and was eventually renamed the Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge when the two communities it connected were renamed.
In October 1903, the Delaware River experienced its worst flood in history. The wooden Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge was devastated, and deemed well beyond repair. At this point, the Yardleyville-Delaware Bridge Company built a new steel Warren-truss
bridge with six spans on the old bridge's foundation. In 1922, the bridge was purchased by the Pennsylvania-New Jersey Joint Bridge Commission, the predecessor to the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission
.
The flood of 1955, which was the result of Hurricane Connie
and Hurricane Diane
, washed away the steel bridge. It was replaced with an army-surplus Bailey bridge
by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. Two years later in the floods of 1957, this bridge was heavily damaged. Initially, the expectation was that it would be fully repaired. In the aftermath of the flood, though, it was decided that a new bridge would be built about 1.3 miles north of where the Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge had stood. This was to become the Scudder Falls Bridge
, which was opened in 1961 and serves the area to this day. Upon the completion of the new bridge, the Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge was demolished.
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 was destroyed in 1961.
History
The first structure located at the site of the now demolished Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge was built in 1835 by the Yardleyville-Delaware Bridge Company. It was originally a wooden toll bridge that connected the borough of Yardleyville (known today as YardleyYardley, Pennsylvania
Yardley is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The small community of Yardley is bordered by the Delaware River and Ewing, New Jersey on the east, and by Lower Makefield Township on the north, west, and south...
) in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
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...
and the community of Greensburg (known today as Wilburtha), in Ewing Township
Ewing Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 35,790 people, 13,171 households, and 7,980 families residing in the township. There were 13,926 housing units. The racial makeup of the township was 63.1% White, 27.6% African American, 0.3% Native American, 4.3% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 2.2%...
, in Mercer County, New Jersey
Mercer County, New Jersey
As of the census of 2000, there were 350,761 people, 125,807 households, and 86,303 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,552 people per square mile . There were 133,280 housing units at an average density of 590 per square mile...
. The bridge, which was built on stone foundations, measured 903 feet long and had six spans.
Little more than five years after having been built, the original bridge was damaged in a flood on January 8, 1841. Three of its spans were swept away, and it was replaced with another wooden bridge. For the next sixty years, the replacement bridge operated profitably and was eventually renamed the Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge when the two communities it connected were renamed.
In October 1903, the Delaware River experienced its worst flood in history. The wooden Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge was devastated, and deemed well beyond repair. At this point, the Yardleyville-Delaware Bridge Company built a new steel Warren-truss
Truss
In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in...
bridge with six spans on the old bridge's foundation. In 1922, the bridge was purchased by the Pennsylvania-New Jersey Joint Bridge Commission, the predecessor to 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...
.
The flood of 1955, which was the result of Hurricane Connie
Hurricane Connie
Hurricane Connie was the first in a series of hurricanes to strike North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season. Connie struck as a Category 1, causing major flooding and inflicting extensive damage to the Outer Banks and inland to Raleigh....
and Hurricane Diane
Hurricane Diane
Hurricane Diane was one of three hurricanes to hit North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season, striking an area that had been hit by Hurricane Connie five days earlier...
, washed away the steel bridge. It was replaced with an army-surplus Bailey bridge
Bailey bridge
The Bailey bridge is a type of portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridge. It was developed by the British during World War II for military use and saw extensive use by both British and the American military engineering units....
by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. Two years later in the floods of 1957, this bridge was heavily damaged. Initially, the expectation was that it would be fully repaired. In the aftermath of the flood, though, it was decided that a new bridge would be built about 1.3 miles north of where the Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge had stood. This was to become the Scudder Falls Bridge
Scudder Falls Bridge
The Scudder Falls Bridge is a girder bridge that carries Interstate 95 over the Delaware River, connecting Lower Makefield Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with Ewing Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. This bridge, which was constructed from 1958 to 1959, is maintained by the Delaware...
, which was opened in 1961 and serves the area to this day. Upon the completion of the new bridge, the Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge was demolished.