Two distinctive arch bridges along Broadway and the former Croton Aqueduct cross Sing Sing Kill in Ossining, New York.
Two distinctive arch bridges along Broadway and the former Croton Aqueduct cross Sing Sing Kill in Ossining, New York.
The construction of the Croton Aqueduct was spurred by the pollution of local freshwater sources in Manhattan and increased disease, including epidemics of yellow fever and cholera. In March 1833, Major David Bates Douglass, an engineering professor at West Point Military Academy, was appointed to survey and estimate the proposed route of an aqueduct from the Croton River in Westchester County to reservoirs in New York City. 1
Construction began on the 41-mile project in 1837, 2 3 which was supervised by Douglass’ successor, Chief Engineer John B. Jervis. 3 The Croton River was dammed, aqueducts were built, tunnels dug, piping laid, and reservoirs created. The Croton Aqueduct, including the stone arch bridge over Sing Sing Kill in Ossining, opened on October 14, 1842. It was comprised of granite and gneiss blocks with an interior structure composed of brick. 7
The Sing Sing Kill bridge was built larger than what was required to accommodate the stream as it was required to include a passageway through the bridge to provide a landowner access from his house to his field. 7 A rudimentary wooden bridge along Mill Street (today’s Broadway) in the vicinity of Whitson’s Mill was constructed under the Croton Aqueduct which was replaced with a stone arch structure in 1861.
Despite its size, the capacity of the Old Croton Aqueduct could not keep up with the growth of New York City. Construction of the New Croton Aqueduct began in 1885, a few miles east and went into service in 1890. It boasted a capacity three times greater than the original Croton Aqueduct.
The original Croton Aqueduct remained in service until 1958, 3 although the northernmost portion was reopened in 1987 to provide water to Ossining.
The Old Croton Aqueduct crossing of Sing Sing Kill was restored and reopened on July 20, 2013. 4 The Broadway Bridge was again rehabilitated in 2018 at the cost of $2.8 million, 5 6 which included restoring the stonework, adding new decorative lighting, and replacing the chain link fence with black metal fencing. 6
Information
- State: New York
- Route: Formerly Croton Aqueduct; Broadway
- Type: Stone Arch
- Status: Active - Other
- Total Length: 129 feet (Croton Aqueduct); 88 feet (Broadway)
- Main Span Length: 66 feet (Broadway)
- Deck Width: 21 feet (Broadway)
- Above Vertical Clearance: 12.3 feet (Broadway)
- Navigational Clearance:
Sources
- “Van Cortlandt Park, Borough of the Bronx: Restoration Master Plan.” New York City Parks Department, 1986.
- A Trail through History, Old Croton Aqueduct State Park.
- “Old Croton Aqueduct Trail.” New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
- “Celebrating Ossining’s Double Arch.” Croton History & Mysteries, 20 Jul. 2013.
- McKinney, Michael P. “Ossining approves Broadway Bridge rehab.” Rockland/Westchester Journal News, 23 Feb. 2018.
- “Rehabilitating the Broadway Bridge.” Village of Ossining, 26 Feb. 2018.
- Rosen, Julie. “Sing Sing Kill Bridge.” The Croton Waterworks.