Berks County, Pennsylvania, is home to numerous arch bridges that flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In Hamburg, three notable open-spandrel arch bridges span the Schuylkill River, each with its own distinct characteristics.
The busiest of these is the William Penn Highway Bridge, which carries Interstate 78 and US Route 22. Completed in 1957, it was part of a project announced in 1952 that included bypasses of Hamburg along US Routes 22 and 122. This project featured the construction of a seven-span open-spandrel concrete arch bridge. Renowned for its graceful design, it was the last open-spandrel concrete arch bridge built in the state.
In 2020, a $125.4 million project began to rebuild the pavement on Interstate 78 and US Route 22, widen the Schuylkill River bridge to accommodate auxiliary lanes and full-width shoulders, and reconstruct the PA Route 61 (formerly US Route 122) interchange. Importantly, the original design of the arches will be preserved while new arch spans are added.
Nearby, the Pottsville Pike Bridge carries PA Route 61 over the Schuylkill River. Initially signed for US Route 122, it was completed in 1955. In March 2024, construction began on a project to widen and rehabilitate PA Route 61 near the Schuylkill River, including renovating the river crossing.
The State Street Bridge, which carries State Street over the Schuylkill River, was originally a wooden covered bridge built in 1851. It was replaced in 1928 by a multi-span open-spandrel concrete arch bridge for the newly designated Harrisburg-Allentown Highway. This highway, originally signed as PA Route 43, became US Route 22 (William Penn Highway) in 1931. The State Street Bridge was functionally bypassed by the four-lane William Penn Highway Bridge in 1957. The bridge underwent rehabilitation in 1975 and again in 2009-10, when reinforced supports, new lighting, and sidewalks were installed.