Skip to main content

Wurts Street Suspension Bridge Rehabilitation Contract gets underway in Kingston, NY

Image
By

 

Deep in the heart of New York State's Hudson Valley region, a landmark rehabilitation contract is now well underway that will help bring an aging and landmark suspension bridge back to life so it may continue to serve the residents of Kingston, NY and the surrounding area.

Built in 1921, the Wurts Street Suspension Bridge (sometimes also referred to as the Rondout Creek Bridge or the Kingston-Port Ewen Suspension Bridge) was the first major suspension bridge built in the Hudson Valley for automobile traffic. 100 years of wear & tear on the structure have taken their toll and after about 10 years of delay and negotiation, a comprehensive $45 million contract was awarded in 2021 that will see the structure restored and reopened to all modes of traffic. This contract, awarded by the New York State Department of Transportation (Region 8) and being executed by a contracting team led by A. Servidone/B. Anthony Construction Corp., is intended to accomplish a number of critical to-do list items for the structure. 

In what will be a first for a suspension bridge in the Hudson Valley, a dehumidification & monitoring system will be installed for the bridge's main cables. This system is designed to slow the introduction of moisture into the cable strands and delay/prevent the onset of corrosion into the cables in order to extend their lifespan. All structural steel components are to be refurbished with the removal of the original lead-based paint, the performance of select structural repairs to connections and other components, and the repainting of the entire superstructure from the roadway down to the foundations. New precast concrete "lightweight" deck panels are to be installed upon completion of steel repairs and this will result in a much lighter deck capable of being supported far easier by the bridge's cable system. Aside from the new dehumidification system, the bridge's cable support system will be further enhanced by the full replacement of all suspender ropes that link the main cables vertically with the roadway. All of the above-described work is planned for this contract, which has a deadline of late 2023 for full completion.

Above: The Wurts Street Suspension Bridge spans the Rondout Creek between Kingston and Port Ewen, NY. The bridge was once part of the original alignment for US Route 9W through Ulster County.

The clusure of the Wurts Street Bridge to all traffic for upwards of three years has not been without its concerns and issues among local residents. The bridge has always been a popular pedestrian route for residents on both sides of Rondout Creek. Furthermore, partial street closures on the Kingston side of the bridge have made travel in the immediate area of the bridge challenging, especially on weekends with folks flocking to the Rondout Creek waterfront for recreation & tourism purposes. Nevertheless, this investment in this historic bridge has been many years in the making and it is hoped that the project will be executed and completed satisfactorily so that bridge enthusiasts everywhere many once again enjoy this old classic.

The following pictures were taken by the author of this post using a DJI quadcopter drone. Always use proper judgment and situational awareness when flying in areas such as this. Click on each photo to see a larger version.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2018 Mojave Road Trip Part 2; The deadly desert highway (California State Route 127 and Nevada State Route 373)

By
After leaving Barstow via Old Highway 58 my next destination was in Death Valley.  To access Death Valley from rural San Bernardino County required a trek on north on Interstate 15 to California State Route 127 which becomes Nevada State Route 373 at the state line. Along I-15 I encountered the road sign oddity that is Zzyzx Road about eight miles south of Baker.   Zzyzx Road is a four mile road that used to go to the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa.   The spa was founded in the 1940s and the owner made up the name "Zzyzx" to claim it was the last word in the English Language.  The spa has been shut down since the 1970s and is now part of a Desert Studies Center for California State University. The southern terminus of CA 127 in Baker is located at I-15 exit 246.  CA 127 is a 91 mile north/south highway which runs to the Nevada State Line in Inyo County.  CA 127 is called Death Valley Road from I-15 northward.  South of CA 127 ...
4 comments
Read more

Finding the Pre-Emption Road of New York State

By
  The Pre-Emption Road (or rather a series of roads named Pre-Emption Road) follows a survey line called the Pre-Emption Line, drawn in the early days of the United States. The story begins with Massachusetts and New York having competing land claims to modern day Western New York State that have their roots in colonial charters granted by the British. After the Revolutionary War ended, this land became the frontier of the nation and its settlement became a priority for the new American government. During this era, there were a lot of competing land claims that needed to be settled. It was no different with the land claims between New York State and Massachusetts. On November 30, 1786, Massachusetts and New York sent representatives to Hartford, Connecticut to resolve their competing land claims. In less than three weeks, the representatives had reached a compromise. Massachusetts would receive pre-emption rights, meaning the right to sell the land after the Indian title ...
Post a Comment
Read more

What's In a Name?: When the Roads Really Do Tell a Story

By
  Our tagline on the Gribblenation blog is "because every road tells a story". Some roads tell different stories than others. Along our travels, we may see historic markers that tell us a little story about the roads we travel or the places we pass by. Some historic markers are more general, as to telling us who lived where or what old trail traversed between two towns. During my travels across New York State and other states or provinces, I pass by many historic markers, some with interesting or amusing references to roads. I wanted to highlight a few of the markers I've seen along my travels around the Empire State and help tell their stories. Those stories may be as specific as explaining the tales of a tree that was used to help measure a distance of eight miles from Bath to Avoca in Steuben County, as referenced on the Eight Mile Tree historical marker above. They may also help point the way along historical roads first used centuries ago, or may help tell a local l...
Post a Comment
Read more