The original wooden bridge opened on October 14, 1806. The original bridge was designed and built by Timothy Palmer, one of the most famous bridge builders of his time. Palmer's covered bridge at Easton endured many floods and storms while other bridges fell. However, by the late nineteenth century, when horse-drawn streetcars were replaced by trolley cars, the old wooden bridge could no longer handle the demands of traffic and a new structure was erected in 1895. The new bridge was designed by James Madison Porter III, an alumnus of nearby Lafayette College and later a professor of civil engineering there. Porter hailed from a family long prominent in Easton and Pennsylvania history.
Tolls were charged until 1921, when the DRJTBC bought it from the Delaware Bridge Company.[1]
National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark plaque, commemorated 1995
1955 damage
Flooding from Hurricanes Connie and Diane in August 1955 ravaged the Delaware River valley. During the flooding, four bridges sustained serious damage or were washed away. The Portland–Columbia Covered Bridge, the Point Pleasant–Byram Bridge, and the Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge had all or most of their spans washed away.[3] At 5 am on August 20, 1955, remains of the covered bridge further north washed their way downstream and jammed at the Northampton Street Bridge. The jam, combined with the rushing water, cut through the structure, causing a 50-foot (15 m) gap in the center span. The remaining parts of the bridge were littered in debris from the rushing waters.[4] The span washing away also destroyed telephone cables, which had to be restored by 300 men stringing temporary wire together.[5]
Tolls on the Easton–Phillipsburg Toll Bridge were ten cents at the time, but they were lowered to five cents on September 1, 1955 until the Northampton Street Bridge was repaired.[6] The United States Army Corps of Engineers installed two parallel Bailey bridges between the damaged free bridge and the toll bridge. Those bridges opened on March 15, 1956, built with a speed limit of 10 miles per hour (16 km/h) and a weight limit of 14,000 pounds (6,400,000 g).[7]
^Lance Metz, Northampton Street Bridge Took Hit In '55 Hurricane, The Morning Call, October 17, 1993
^"Northampton Street Bridge". American Society of Civil Engineers. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
^"Most Delaware Bridges Again Open to Traffic". The Plainfield Courier-News. August 23, 1955. p. 2. Retrieved May 18, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Delaware Flood Rips Easton Bridge". The Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pennsylvania. August 21, 1955. p. 1. Retrieved May 18, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Easton Faces Another Waterless Day; Other Utilities Are Restored". The Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pennsylvania. August 21, 1955. pp. 13, 18. Retrieved May 18, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Toll on Easton-Phillipsburg Bridge Reduced to Five Cents". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. August 31, 1955. p. 2. Retrieved May 18, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Delaware Bailey Bridges Opened, Linking Easton and Phillipsburg". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. March 16, 1956. p. 41. Retrieved May 18, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Northampton Street Bridge.
DRJTBC Official page
Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. PA-502, "Northampton Street Bridge, Spanning Delaware River at Northampton Street, Easton, Northampton County, PA", 16 photos, 4 data pages, 2 photo caption pages
northampton, street, bridge, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Northampton Street Bridge news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Northampton Street Bridge is a bridge that crosses the Delaware River connecting Easton Pennsylvania and Phillipsburg New Jersey United States It is maintained by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission despite not being a toll bridge It is known locally as the Free Bridge thus distinguishing it from the Easton Phillipsburg Toll Bridge just upstream to the north The crossing was first a ferry crossing run by David Martin beginning in 1739 Northampton Street BridgeNorthampton Street Bridge between Easton Pennsylvania and Phillipsburg New JerseyCoordinates40 41 30 N 75 12 14 W 40 691545 N 75 204004 W 40 691545 75 204004Carries3 lanes of Northampton Street and 2 sidewalksCrossesDelaware RiverLocaleEaston PA and Phillipsburg NJOfficial nameNorthampton Street Toll Supported BridgeOther name s The Free BridgeEaston Phillipsburg BridgeMaintained byDelaware River Joint Toll Bridge CommissionCharacteristicsTotal length560 feet 170 m Load limit3 short tons 2 7 t HistoryDesignerJames Madison Porter IIIOpened1896ReplacesFerry 1739 1806 Covered bridge 1806 1896 LocationThe original wooden bridge opened on October 14 1806 The original bridge was designed and built by Timothy Palmer one of the most famous bridge builders of his time Palmer s covered bridge at Easton endured many floods and storms while other bridges fell However by the late nineteenth century when horse drawn streetcars were replaced by trolley cars the old wooden bridge could no longer handle the demands of traffic and a new structure was erected in 1895 The new bridge was designed by James Madison Porter III an alumnus of nearby Lafayette College and later a professor of civil engineering there Porter hailed from a family long prominent in Easton and Pennsylvania history Tolls were charged until 1921 when the DRJTBC bought it from the Delaware Bridge Company 1 The bridge is currently posted for a 3 short ton 2 7 t weight limit and a 15 mile per hour 24 km h speed limit Noted as combining aesthetics with economical design the bridge was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers and commemorated in 1995 2 Contents 1 History 1 1 1955 damage 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory Edit National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark plaque commemorated 19951955 damage Edit Flooding from Hurricanes Connie and Diane in August 1955 ravaged the Delaware River valley During the flooding four bridges sustained serious damage or were washed away The Portland Columbia Covered Bridge the Point Pleasant Byram Bridge and the Yardley Wilburtha Bridge had all or most of their spans washed away 3 At 5 am on August 20 1955 remains of the covered bridge further north washed their way downstream and jammed at the Northampton Street Bridge The jam combined with the rushing water cut through the structure causing a 50 foot 15 m gap in the center span The remaining parts of the bridge were littered in debris from the rushing waters 4 The span washing away also destroyed telephone cables which had to be restored by 300 men stringing temporary wire together 5 Tolls on the Easton Phillipsburg Toll Bridge were ten cents at the time but they were lowered to five cents on September 1 1955 until the Northampton Street Bridge was repaired 6 The United States Army Corps of Engineers installed two parallel Bailey bridges between the damaged free bridge and the toll bridge Those bridges opened on March 15 1956 built with a speed limit of 10 miles per hour 16 km h and a weight limit of 14 000 pounds 6 400 000 g 7 See also EditList of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in New Jersey List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Pennsylvania List of crossings of the Delaware RiverReferences Edit Lance Metz Northampton Street Bridge Took Hit In 55 Hurricane The Morning Call October 17 1993 Northampton Street Bridge American Society of Civil Engineers Retrieved January 26 2022 Most Delaware Bridges Again Open to Traffic The Plainfield Courier News August 23 1955 p 2 Retrieved May 18 2019 via Newspapers com Delaware Flood Rips Easton Bridge The Sunday Call Chronicle Allentown Pennsylvania August 21 1955 p 1 Retrieved May 18 2019 via Newspapers com Easton Faces Another Waterless Day Other Utilities Are Restored The Sunday Call Chronicle Allentown Pennsylvania August 21 1955 pp 13 18 Retrieved May 18 2019 via Newspapers com Toll on Easton Phillipsburg Bridge Reduced to Five Cents The Morning Call Allentown Pennsylvania August 31 1955 p 2 Retrieved May 18 2019 via Newspapers com Delaware Bailey Bridges Opened Linking Easton and Phillipsburg The Morning Call Allentown Pennsylvania March 16 1956 p 41 Retrieved May 18 2019 via Newspapers com External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Northampton Street Bridge DRJTBC Official page Historic American Engineering Record HAER No PA 502 Northampton Street Bridge Spanning Delaware River at Northampton Street Easton Northampton County PA 16 photos 4 data pages 2 photo caption pages Northampton Street Bridge at Structurae Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Northampton Street Bridge amp oldid 1133838023, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
