Chestnut Street Bridge (Philadelphia)

{{Infobox bridge

|bridge_name = Chestnut Street Bridge

|image = Chestnut Street Bridge 2017.jpg

|image_size=300px

|caption = Chestnut Street Bridge across the Schuylkill River, looking east, in 2017

|official_name =

|carries = Chestnut Street

|crosses = Schuylkill River
Schuylkill Expressway

|locale =

|maint =

|id = [http://nationalbridges.com/nbi_record.php?StateCode=42&struct=670003009022930 670003009022930]{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

|design = Steel continuous, Girder and Floorbeam System

|mainspan =

|length = {{convert|113.1|m|ft}}

|width = {{convert|13.5|m|ft}} (roadway)

|height =

|load = {{convert|65.7|t|ST|abbr=on}}

|clearance =

|below = {{convert|8.2|m|ft}}

|traffic = 16109 (2006)

|begin =

|complete =

|open = 1957

|closed =

|toll =

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|coordinates = {{Coord|39|57|11|N|75|10|52|W|type:landmark_region:US|display=inline,title}}

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The Chestnut Street Bridge is a bridge across the Schuylkill River that carries Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The original 1861 bridge was "a bridge whose scale and use of cast iron made it singular in the United States and throughout the world".{{cite web |url= http://www.phillyhistory.org/blog/archive/2008/02/21/creativity-in-cast-iron-strickland-kneasss-chestnut-street-bridge.aspx |title= Creativity in Cast Iron: Strickland Kneass's Chestnut Street Bridge |access-date= 2008-03-14 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080503062227/http://www.phillyhistory.org/blog/archive/2008/02/21/creativity-in-cast-iron-strickland-kneasss-chestnut-street-bridge.aspx |archive-date= 2008-05-03 }} The 1957 bridge, now one way, helps connect West Philadelphia with the rest of the city.

History

Construction of the first Chestnut Street Bridge, designed by Strickland Kneass,{{cite web |url= http://www.uchs.net/Rosenthal/wphila.html |title= WEST PHILADELPHIA - "THE GENESIS OF 'THE CITY ACROSS THE RIVER'" |access-date= 2006-10-01 |archive-date= 2019-11-17 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191117075216/http://www.uchs.net/Rosenthal/wphila.html |url-status= dead }} started on 4 September 1861.{{cite web |url= http://www.phillyh2o.org/backpages/Philadelphia_WaterFront_1876.htm |title= A Tour of Philadelphia's Waterfront in 1876 |access-date=2006-10-01}}{{cite web |url= http://www.pacivilwar.com/county/philadelphiahistory.html |title= Civil War History in Philadelphia, PA |access-date= 2008-03-14}} That bridge cost $500,000, was 1,528 feet (466 m) long, and was constructed of cast iron, with approaches and piers of granite. When the bridge formally opened on 23 June 1866,{{cite web |url= http://www.ushistory.org/philadelphia/timeline/1866.htm |title= Philadelphia Timeline, 1866 |access-date=2006-10-01}} it was the second connection between Center City, Philadelphia and West Philadelphia, after the Market Street Bridge.

In 1957, to make way for the Schuylkill Expressway, the western pier of the bridge was removed, and the main spans of the bridge were replaced.

In 2011, a weight restriction was placed on it due to its age.

In August 2019, the bridge was closed to vehicles and pedestrians for one year to repair the steel superstructure and replace the deck, but has been extended due to COVID-19 until March 19, 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.phillyvoice.com/chestnut-street-bridge-closed-detour-center-city-repairs-philadelphia/|title=Chestnut Street Bridge in Center City to close for year of construction|website=PhillyVoice|author=Michael Tanebaum|date=30 July 2019|access-date=10 January 2020}}{{cite news|title=Chestnut Street Bridge Will Reopen Saturday Night After 2 Years Of Construction|url=https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2022/03/18/chestnut-street-bridge-reopen-philadelphia-construction/|publisher=CBS3|date=2022-03-18}}

File:Chestnut Street Bridge 1869.jpg|Chestnut Street Bridge 1869

File:Chestnut Street bridge, by Bartlett & French.jpg|Stereo image pair of the Chestnut Street Bridge c. 1865-1907

In film

In the 2007 film Shooter, FBI agent Nick Memphis (played by Michael Peña) is abducted while walking across the Chestnut Street Bridge.
One episode of Hack was filmed on the bridge.{{cite web |url= http://www.davidmorse.org/news/HackofHack.html |title= Jim Loftus: Getting The Hack of "Hack" |access-date= 2009-10-19 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20031002195726/http://davidmorse.org/news/HackofHack.html |archive-date= 2003-10-02 |url-status= dead }}

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20040711032833/http://sewerhistory.net/LewisBook/027_JFL.jpg 1924 photo of the bridge]
{{HABS |survey=PA-1054 |id=pa1150 |title=Chestnut Street Bridge, Schuykill River, Chestnut Street vicinity, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA |photos=5 |data=3}}
[http://digitallibrary.hsp.org/index.php/Detail/Object/Show/object_id/3859 The Chestnut Street Bridge, Philadelphia, July 28, 1865, by D. J. Kennedy, Historical Society of Philadelphia ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083415/http://digitallibrary.hsp.org/index.php/Detail/Object/Show/object_id/3859 |date=March 4, 2016 }}

{{Crossings navbox

|structure = Crossings

|place = Schuylkill River

|bridge = Chestnut Street Bridge

|bridge signs =

|upstream = Market Street Bridge

|upstream signs = 20px
20px

|downstream = Walnut Street Bridge

|downstream signs =

}}

Category:Bridges completed in 1957

Category:Bridges in Philadelphia