Kingston-Port Ewen Suspension Bridge
Encyclopedia
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
.
Construction began in 1916, with a view to replacing the Rondout Creek ferry Skillypot, known for sporadic service. The bridge was designed by the firms of Holton D. Robinson and John A. Roebling's Sons Company, with Holton D. Robinson, Daniel E. Moran, William Yates listed as chief engineers 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. Completion took about a year, and local legend has it that the contractors employed a woman as a welder: commonplace during World War II, but unheard of in 1920. Ten thousand people attended the bridge's dedication on November 2, 1921. The bridge has a very hilly approach on the north side and crosses a small island in the creek. It forms a dramatic backdrop to the Rondout-West Strand Historic District
to the east.
Although the bridge was a key US Route 9W link when it opened, carrying 9W and Wurts Street, in 1978 9W was rerouted to the John T. Loughran Bridge
. 9W at that point is also called Frank Koenig boulevard. The weight limit on the bridge now appears to be only 5 tons.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (“DOT”), one of every eight bridges in the nation is structurally deficient; among the most deficient is the Kingston–Port Ewen Suspension Bridge. The bridge rates consistently low in state and federal dot evaluations. It is rated as a 2 out of 100 from the federal DOT and a 3.875 out of 7 from the state. Both evaluations take away points for obsolete design, which is not really a concern since looking charmingly obsolete may be its only real function since a newer, larger bridge with wider, straighter approaches was installed less than 1/4 mile from This one. The new bridge is less ornate though perhaps more functional, but has the effect of splitting the downtown area and was made possible only by the demolition of half of the downtown Rondout, New York
historic district. The old bridge is considered structurally deficient by both agencies and for that reason it is limited to carrying vehicles of 5 tons or less. According to a structures engineer for the state DOT, an inspection of the main cables will be carried out in the spring of 2008 by the engineering firm of Modjeski & Masters which specializes in signature (unusual) & suspension bridges. A complete renovation including replacement of roadbed but not including replacement of main cables was planned for 2009. That renovation had not been started as of May 2011. In 2004 the Federal Highway Administration
estimated the reconstruction cost at 3 million dollars. The original cost of the bridge was $700,000 in 1921 - which is the equivalent of eight million dollars in 2007 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
.
In April 2008 the main cables were inspected by the Department of Transportation of the State of New York and found to be in good condition. Test borings were made several yards from the existing anchorages on both sides to determine the feasibility of re-locating the anchor points.
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
spanning Rondout Creek
Rondout Creek
Rondout Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River in Ulster and Sullivan counties, New York, USA. It rises on Rocky Mountain in the eastern Catskills, flows south into Rondout Reservoir, part of New York City's water supply network, then into the valley between the Catskills and the Shawangunk...
, near where it empties into the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. It connects the City of Kingston
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
to the north, with the village of Port Ewen
Port Ewen, New York
Port Ewen is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 3,650 at the 2000 census.Port Ewen is in the Town of Esopus, south of Kingston, New York, along U.S...
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
Motoring
Motoring may refer to:* 310 Motoring, an automotive customization garage based in Los Angeles, California* AA Motoring Trust* Best Motoring International, Japanese automobile magazine* Driving* Motoring...
.
Construction began in 1916, with a view to replacing the Rondout Creek ferry Skillypot, known for sporadic service. The bridge was designed by the firms of Holton D. Robinson and John A. Roebling's Sons Company, with Holton D. Robinson, Daniel E. Moran, William Yates listed as chief engineers 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
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and was suspended until 1920.
When construction resumed, David B. Steinman
David B. Steinman
David Bernard Steinman was an American structural engineer. He was the designer of the Mackinac Bridge and many other notable bridges, and a published author. He grew up in New York City's lower Manhattan, and lived with the ambition of making his mark on the Brooklyn Bridge that he lived under...
was among the engineering staff, acting as Assistant Engineer. Completion took about a year, and local legend has it that the contractors employed a woman as a welder: commonplace during World War II, but unheard of in 1920. Ten thousand people attended the bridge's dedication on November 2, 1921. The bridge has a very hilly approach on the north side and crosses a small island in the creek. It forms a dramatic backdrop to the Rondout-West Strand Historic District
Rondout-West Strand Historic District
SEE ALSO Rondout, New YorkThe Rondout–West Strand Historic District is a historic district located on the shore of Rondout Creek along the southern boundary of the city of Kingston, New York, USA...
to the east.
Although the bridge was a key US Route 9W link when it opened, carrying 9W and Wurts Street, in 1978 9W was rerouted to the John T. Loughran Bridge
John T. Loughran Bridge
The John T. Loughran Bridge carries US 9W over Rondout Creek between Kingston and Port Ewen, New York, USA. It also crosses over Ferry Street on the Kingston side. It is located just downriver from the historic Kingston-Port Ewen Suspension Bridge, which carried 9W until the Loughran Bridge was...
. 9W at that point is also called Frank Koenig boulevard. The weight limit on the bridge now appears to be only 5 tons.
Current condition
Rondout, New York
Rondout was a village located on the north side of Rondout Creek near its mouth on the Hudson River in Ulster County and includes the Rondout-West Strand Historic District....
historic district. The old bridge is considered structurally deficient by both agencies and for that reason it is limited to carrying vehicles of 5 tons or less. According to a structures engineer for the state DOT, an inspection of the main cables will be carried out in the spring of 2008 by the engineering firm of Modjeski & Masters which specializes in signature (unusual) & suspension bridges. A complete renovation including replacement of roadbed but not including replacement of main cables was planned for 2009. That renovation had not been started as of May 2011. In 2004 the Federal Highway Administration
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
estimated the reconstruction cost at 3 million dollars. The original cost of the bridge was $700,000 in 1921 - which is the equivalent of eight million dollars in 2007 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is a governmental statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and...
.
External links
- description from National Park Service site
- ca. 1922 image from National Park Service site
- listing at Bridgemeister.com
- picture gallery at Bridgemeister.com
- another picture gallery at Bridgemeister.com
- Roebling's Bridge Division main site
- Area timeline putting bridge opening in context
- Another area timeline references earlier bridge.
- Map from TIGERTigerThe tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
map image generation service
