Susquehanna River Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Susquehanna River Bridge carries Interstate 76
(Pennsylvania Turnpike
) across the Susquehanna River
between Dauphin
and York County
near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
.
girder bridge
with concrete piers. The steel was provided from a plant operated by Bethlehem Steel
, directly adjacent to the turnpike in Steelton, Pennsylvania
. It was opened to traffic in 1950.
On November 16, 2004, the Turnpike Commission let a contract for a bridge to replace the 1950 span. Two new 3-lane segmental
, concrete signature spans were constructed just upriver from the old 4 lane span. The new span was the first of its type built in Pennsylvania at a cost of nearly $100 million http://kci.com/projects/srb/. The westbound span opened on 17 May 2007, and the eastbound span was opened on 17 June 2007. The new roadway and bridges opened to normal traffic flow in the summer of 2008. Destruction of the old span was planned to begin in July 2007.
Interstate 76 (east)
Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
(Pennsylvania Turnpike
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
) across the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
between Dauphin
Dauphin, Pennsylvania
Dauphin is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 791 at the 2010 census. Dauphin's ZIP code is 17018. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Dauphin is located at...
and York County
York County, Pennsylvania
York County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 434,972. It is in the Susquehanna Valley, a large fertile agricultural region in South Central Pennsylvania....
near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
.
History
The original structure was built as a steelSteel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
girder bridge
Girder bridge
A girder bridge, in general, is a bridge built of girders placed on bridge abutments and foundation piers. In turn, a bridge deck is built on top of the girders in order to carry traffic. There are several different subtypes of girder bridges:...
with concrete piers. The steel was provided from a plant operated by Bethlehem Steel
Bethlehem Steel
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation , based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel. After a decline in the U.S...
, directly adjacent to the turnpike in Steelton, Pennsylvania
Steelton, Pennsylvania
Steelton is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, three miles southeast of Harrisburg. In 1900, 12,086 people lived here; in 1910, 14,246 people lived here; in 1920, 13,248 people lived here; and in 1940, 13,115 people lived here. The population was 5,858 at the 2000 census...
. It was opened to traffic in 1950.
On November 16, 2004, the Turnpike Commission let a contract for a bridge to replace the 1950 span. Two new 3-lane segmental
Segmental bridge
As its name implies, a segmental bridge is a bridge built in short sections , i.e., one piece at a time, as opposed to traditional methods that build a bridge in very large sections...
, concrete signature spans were constructed just upriver from the old 4 lane span. The new span was the first of its type built in Pennsylvania at a cost of nearly $100 million http://kci.com/projects/srb/. The westbound span opened on 17 May 2007, and the eastbound span was opened on 17 June 2007. The new roadway and bridges opened to normal traffic flow in the summer of 2008. Destruction of the old span was planned to begin in July 2007.