Scudder Falls Bridge

Infobox_Bridge
bridge_name= Scudder Falls Bridge


caption=
official_name= Scudder Falls Toll Supported Bridge
also_known_as=
carries= 4 lanes of I-95 (PA/NJ)
crosses= Delaware River
locale= Lower Makefield Township, Pennsylvania and Ewing Township, New Jersey
maint= Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission
id=
design=Plate girder bridge
mainspan= convert|180|ft|m|0
length= convert|1740|ft|m|0
width= convert|60|ft|m|0
clearance=
below=
traffic= 52,200 [cite web | url=http://www.drjtbc.org/default.aspx?pageid=9 | date=2006 | title=Traffic Counts | publisher=Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission | accessdate=2007-04-15]
open= 1961
closed=
toll= None
map_cue=
map_

map_text=
map_width=
coordinates=Coord|40|15|31|N|74|50|50|W|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,title

The Scudder Falls Bridge is a girder bridge that carries Interstate 95 over the Delaware River, connecting Lower Makefield Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with Ewing Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. This bridge, which was constructed from 1958 to 1959, is maintained by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, but apparently all tolls have been dropped for this bridge. This bridge is the southernmost freeway-standard bridge over the Delaware River that requires no tolls for vehicular traffic in either direction. The current bridge structure, while structurally sufficient, is functionally obsolete, and it requires major expansion or replacement.

Origin of Name

The Scudder Falls Bridge derives its name from Richard Betts Scudder, who according to the Long Island Genealogy Surname Database, died in 1754 at "Scudders Falls, Hunterdon County" (Mercer County was part of Hunterdon County until 1838). One of Richard Scudder's ancestors from Kent, England was named Henry Skudder. The "k" in the surname apparently became a "c" at some point in time, helping to give the falls and modern-day bridge its name. The "falls" (really just an area of rapids) are located about 1/2 mile north of the bridge, and the entrance to the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park just north of the bridge is signed as the "Scudders Falls" unit. The extra "s" at the end of "Scudders" was dropped to make pronunciation of the bridge's name easier. [Richman, Steven M. (2003). "The Bridges of New Jersey", New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press. Page 150. ISBN 0-8135-3510-7.]

History

Following the destruction of the Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge in the August flood of 1955, plans were made to build a new bridge about convert|1.3|mi|km north of the old site. The Delaware River Joint Toll Commission was responsible for the construction of the bridge, while New Jersey and Pennsylvania built the approaches to each side. Because the bridge was not originally part of the Interstate Highway System, the cost of construction was not 90% covered by the Federal government. Instead, they covered 50% the cost of the new span, while New Jersey and Pennsylvania paid the remaining 50% of the total bill,cite web | url=http://www.phillyroads.com/crossings/scudder-falls/ | title=Scudder Falls Bridge | publisher=Eastern Roads| accessdate=2007-04-15] just as in an orginary U.S. Highway route.

In April 1958, the location of the future Scudder Falls Bridge was approved with little opposition. Construction, overseen by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, began in May of the same year and was completed in 1959. The new bridge, which had cost $8.4 million, opened to traffic on June 22, 1961.

tructure

Scudder Falls Bridge was built using two-span continuous steel-plate girders. Its two end spans are each convert|150|ft|m long, while each of the eight middle spans measure convert|180|ft|m. The bridge's total length is 1,740 feet. [Richman, p. 149.]

Improvement Project

The bridge is currently being studied for expansion, due to the inadequacies of the current configuration. At the present time, the bridge consists of a roadway convert|48|ft|m wide, split into four twelve-foot lanes. Opposing traffic is separated by a Jersey barrier. Current design standards call for, at minimum, the addition of an inside shoulder convert|3|ft|m wide (adding convert|6|ft|m to its current width) and an outside shoulder convert|12|ft|m wide (adding convert|24|ft|m to its current width). Closely spaced interchanges on both ends of the bridge would require the addition of acceleration and decelaration lanes, of which there are currently none. These lanes would add an additional convert|24|ft|m of width to parts of the bridge near each shore.

According to the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission's 2002 Southerly Crossings Corridor Study, Scudders Fall Bridge carries roughly 55,000 vehicles per day (traffic counts have decreased slightly since then), well beyond the design load of 40,000 vehicles per day. By 2030, traffic volumes are expected to increase by 35%, the equivalent of 19,000 additional vehicles. [cite web | url=http://www.drjtbc.org/default.aspx?pageid=79 | date=2005 | title=Scudder Falls Toll Supported Bridge | publisher=Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission | accessdate=2007-04-18] This amount of traffic would require two to perhaps four additional travel lanes (24 to perhaps 48 additional feet of roadway width).

Also mentioned by the 2002 study is that Scudder Falls Bridge has been given a Level of Service (LOS) grade of "F" during peak rush hours and afternoons. This grade denotes the worst service conditions and the highest congestion rate. In short, the current structure, while structurally sufficient, is functionally obsolete, and requires major expansion or replacement.

Beginning in 2009, a $195-million dollar reconstruction project will begin. The bridge will be widened to between 130 and convert|140|ft|m, becoming nine lanes in the process. [cite web | url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5131/is_200507/ai_n18570371 | date=July, 2005 | title=Scudders Fall bridge to be replaced | publisher=Constructioneer | accessdate=2007-04-18]

ee also

*List of crossings of the Delaware River

References

External links

* [http://www.drjtbc.org/default.aspx?pageid=79 DRJTBC: Scudder Falls Toll Supported Bridge]
* [http://www.scudderfallsbridge.com/index.htm Scudder Falls Bridge Improvement Project]

Crossings navbox
structure = Crossings
place = Delaware River
bridge = Scudder Falls Bridge
bridge signs = Current
upstream = Washington Crossing Bridge
upstream signs =
downstream = Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge
downstream signs = "demolished"