BURLINGTON-BRISTOL BRIDGE
Crossing
• Crosses the Delaware River between the cities of Burlington, NJ and Bristol, PA
Building
• Built by the Burlington-Bristol Bridge Company after receiving approval from the US Congress and US War Department
Cantilever erection of horizontal lift span
1954: New toll plaza & Keim Blvd. constructed when single toll booth on lift span was removed
Construction
• Construction began in April 1930
• Bridge opened to traffic May 2, 1931
• Comprised of several different type of structures:
– A long through-truss span at the middle of the river
– Other adjacent through-truss spans
– Stringer spans and deck truss spans
Cost
• Cost to build was slightly more than $1.5 million
• Acquired in 1948 by its present owners, the Burlington County Bridge Commission
• No tax money from Burlington County residents is used to maintain this bridge
Specifications
• Total length from abutment to abutment is 2,301 feet
• Bridge is 20 feet wide and carries two lanes of vehicular traffic across the river
• Pedestrians are not permitted on the bridge
Clearance/Openings
• Vertical clearance under the main lift span at the center is 61 feet at high tide
• Marine vessels requiring a vertical clearance greater than that of the movable span in its normally closed position must request a bridge opening. When the lift span is raised mechanically to permit passage of the vessel, concrete counterweights are lowered at each end of the span to maintain a balanced condition. Vehicular traffic is temporarily stopped until the vessel clears the bridge; the span then resumes its normal lowered position
1931: Operating house and toll collection at center of lift span
Power/Lights
• Electrical power is supplied by PECO (PA)
• Trolley cables carry the power to the lift span machinery and an auxiliary engine is used during power outages
• Both navigation lights and obstruction lights are installed at various locations, to warn both marine and air traffic of the bridge structure
