Skip to main content

Pennsylvania Route 291 over the George C. Platt Bridge

By

George C. Platt Bridge is an 8,780-foot-long cantilever through truss span located in the city of Philadelphia.  The George C. Platt Bridge carries Pennsylvania Route 291 via Penrose Avenue over the Schuylkill River east of Interstate 95 towards Interstate 76.  The George C. Platt Bridge opened during 1951 and was a replacement for the earlier Penrose Ferry Bridge. 


Part 1; the history of the George C. Platt Bridge

Prior to the construction of George C. Platt Bridge traffic over the Schuylkill River was carried by way of the last generation Penrose Ferry Bridge.  The last Penrose Ferry Bridge initially was completed over the Schuylkill River by 1878 and featured an iron swing span design.  The iron swing span of the Penrose Ferry Bridge can be seen during 1880 in a Philadelphia Department of Records photo (courtesy Philadelphia.blogspot.com).

The iron swing span of the Penrose Ferry Bridge was replaced by a steel swing span during 1900.  The steel swing span of Penrose Ferry Bridge can be seen below in a Philadelphia Department of Records photo (courtesy bridgerhunter.com) dated to 1910.

The original iteration of Pennsylvania Route 191 was aligned over the Penrose Ferry Bridge by 1928.  Pennsylvania Route 191 was aligned between US Route 1/Baltimore Pike and Broad Street in downtown Philadelphia via Penrose Avenue.  The Penrose Ferry Bridge would remain in service until March 29, 1947, when it was struck by a container ship.  Pennsylvania Route 191 and the Penrose Ferry Bridge can be seen below on the 1948 Rand McNally Map of Philadelphia.  


The damage to the Penrose Ferry Bridge necessitated it be replaced by a modernized span.  The Penrose Avenue Bridge would open on September 12, 1951, as part of an extended Pennsylvania Route 291.  The Penrose Avenue Bridge was a fixed 8,780-foot-long cantilever through truss span which provided more utility than the previous swing span of the Penrose Ferry Bridge.  The Penrose Ferry Bridge can be seen carrying Pennsylvania Route 291 over the Schuylkill River on the 1956 Gousha Map of Philadelphia.  

A steel divider was installed on the Penrose Avenue during 1967 to mitigate head on collisions.  The Penrose Avenue Bridge was renamed in honor of Civil War figure George Crawford Platt during 1979.  During 1984 and 2011-2014 the George C. Platt Bridge was rehabilitated.  Below the fixed span of the George C. Platt Bridge can be seen a D. Thomsen photo (courtesy bridgehunter.org). 


Part 2; a drive on the George C. Platt Bridge

The below sequence of photos was taken by Tom Fearer during the 2022 Philadelphia, PA National Road Meet along the George C. Platt Bridge.  Below Pennsylvania Route 291 can be seen crossing the George C. Platt Bridge east from Interstate 95 over the Schuylkill River towards Interstate 76.  













Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Crescent City Connection (New Orleans, LA)

By
The Crescent City Connection is a massive dual-span steel truss bridge that spans the lower Mississippi River at downtown New Orleans, about 95 river miles upstream from the mouth of the great river at the Head of Passes Light. If counted as a single bi-directional highway bridge, the parallel spans combine to form the single busiest bridge on the Mississippi River and its importance as a linchpin in the region’s transportation network cannot be overstated. While there have been various schemes over the years to construct bridges downriver from Algiers Point, this bridge has been the southernmost bridge on the Mississippi River since its initial construction in the 1950s. The years immediately following the end of World War II were a transformational period in the history of New Orleans. Already one of the great economic and cultural centers of the American Deep South, it was recognized at this time that major changes and improvements to the city’s transportation infrastructure would b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Old US Route 99 through Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch

By
This summer I had a look into the alignment history of US Route 99 through the Tulare County communities of Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch.  While this slab below might seem like much it is one of the few remaining reminders of how US Route 99 was during the 1920s in Tulare County. This blog is part of the larger Gribblenation US Route 99 Page.  For more information pertaining to the other various segments of US Route 99 and it's three-digit child routes check out the link the below. Gribblenation US Route 99 Page Part 1; the history of US Route 99 in Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch Tipton and Tulare were both founded in 1872 as sidings of the Southern Pacific Railroad.  The Southern Pacific Railroad laid the groundwork for development of southern San Joaquin Valley.  Previous to the Southern Pacific Railroad travel via wagon or foot in Central California tended to avoid San Joaquin Valley in favor of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road.  The Stockton Los Ange...
Post a Comment
Read more

Former US Route 101 and California State Route 41 through Paso Robles

By
Paso Robles is a city located on the Salinas River of San Luis Obispo County, California.  As originally configured the surface alignments of US Route 101 and California State Route 41 converged in downtown Paso Robles.  US Route 101 originally was aligned through Paso Robles via Spring Street.  California State Route 41 entered the City of Paso Robles via Union Road and 13th Street where it intersected US Route 101 at Spring Street.  US Route 101 and California State Route 41 departed Paso Robles southbound via a multiplex which split near Templeton.   Pictured above is the cover of the September/October 1957 California Highways & Public Works which features construction of the Paso Robles Bypass.  Pictured below is the 1935 Division of Highways Map of San Luis Obispo County which depicts US Route 101 and California State Route 41 intersecting in downtown Paso Robles.   Part 1; the history of US Route 101 and California State Route 41 i...
Post a Comment
Read more