The Kingston–Port Ewen Suspension Bridge, sometimes known as the "Rondout Creek bridge", "Old Bridge" or "Wurts Street Bridge", is a steel suspension bridge spanning Rondout Creek, near where it empties into the Hudson River. It connects the City of Kingston to the north, with the village of Port Ewen to the south. Completed in 1921, it was the final link in New York's first north-south highway on the West Shore of the Hudson, and is considered an important engineering accomplishment associated with the development of early motoring.
Kingston–Port Ewen Suspension Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Bridge looking north into Kingston, 2007. | |
| Coordinates | 41°55′02″N 73°59′03″W / 41.91716°N 73.984165°W |
| Carries | Wurts St. (Old  US 9W) |
| Crosses | Rondout Creek |
| Locale | Kingston, New York |
| Official name | Kingston–Port Ewen Suspension Bridge |
| Maintained by | New York State Department of Transportation |
| ID number | 1007350 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Wire cable Suspension bridge |
| Total length | 2 side spans of 176.25 feet (54 m) each, anchorages, total length 1,145 ft (349 m) |
| Width | 2 lanes plus walkway, 37 feet (11 m) |
| Longest span | 705 feet (215 m) |
| Clearance below | 85 ft (26 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1921 |
| Closed | September 25, 2020 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 15,700 |
| Toll | no |
| Location | |
 | |
The bridge has a very hilly approach on the north side and crosses over a small island in the creek. It forms a dramatic backdrop to the Rondout-West Strand Historic District in Kingston, to the east.
Construction
editConstruction began in 1916, with the intent to replacing the Rondout Creek chain ferry named Skillypot, known for sporadic service. The Skillypot was named after a derivative of a Dutch word for tortoise, schildpad. [1] The bridge was designed by the firms of Holton D. Robinson and John A. Roebling's Sons Company,[2] with Holton D. Robinson, Daniel E. Moran, William Yates listed as chief engineers[3] Construction was hampered by local political and financial difficulties, as well as material shortages caused by entry by the United States into World War I, and was suspended until 1920.
When construction resumed, David B. Steinman was among the engineering staff, acting as Assistant Engineer. Terry & Tench was the contracting company assigned to build the bridge; remaining completion took about a year. Noteworthy was the work of Danish-American master welder Catherine Nelson, employed by Weehawken Welding Company, who welded together the cable splices that made up the longest length of the cable span.[4] While commonplace during World War II, women working in the trades was opposed by men in the 1920's. Ten thousand people attended the bridge's dedication on November 2, 1921.
Renovation
editThe bridge was closed on September 25, 2020, for a three-year reconstruction project estimated to cost $44.6 million.[5] The final cost of the project was $60 million according to Governor Hochul's office. The construction was completed and the bridge was reopened in July 2024.[6]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ (National Park Service site)
- ^ information from the Structurae page
- ^ Information from the archived Bridgemeister site
- ^ "Wurts Street Bridge Film: History". Wurts Street Bridge Film. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
- ^ Pineiro-Zucker, Diane (October 15, 2021). "Rondout Creek Bridge $44.6M reconstruction project begins". Daily Freeman. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ KIng, Jesse. "Wurts Street Bridge in Kingston reopens after extensive renovation". wamc.org. WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
External links
edit
- description from National Park Service website
- ca. 1922 image from National Park Service website
- History and 2020-2024 renovation The Bridge Across Time: The Renovation of the century old Wurts Street Bridge
