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William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge

William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge

Published December 19, 2020 By Sherman Cahal

The William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge carries Interstate 78 and US Route 22 over the Schuylkill River, in Hamburg, Pennsylvania.

In May 1952, the State Highway and Bridge Authority announced plans to construct northern and western bypasses of Hamburg along US Routes 22 and 122. 1 Projected to cost $10 million and take five years to complete, it included:

  • The four-lane US Route 122 bypass was constructed between Five Locks and Port Clinton, seven bridges, and a cloverleaf interchange with US Route 22.
  • The construction of the 6.5-mile four-lane US Route 22 bypass includes a large viaduct over the Schuylkill River and the Kernsville Desilting Basin, a cloverleaf interchange with US Route 122, and an interchange with Fourth Street in Hamburg.

In 1955, F.D. Kessler of Northumberland was awarded a $3 million construction contract for 1.1 miles of the US Route 22 bypass, which included the building of a seven-span concrete arch bridge over the Schuylkill River. 2

The new US Route 22 bypass of Hamburg, including the crossing over the Schuylkill, an interchange with US Route 122, opened to traffic in September 1957. 3 It was the last open-spandrel concrete arch bridge built in the state. 5

A $125.4 million bid 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 was awarded to J.D. Eckman Inc. of Atglen in December 2019. 4 Construction of the project began in March 2020 and is expected to be completed by December 2025.

William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge
William Penn Highway Hamburg Bridge

Details

  • State: Pennsylvania
  • Route: Interstate 78, US Route 22
  • Status: Active (Automobile)
  • Type: Open Spandrel Arch
  • Total Length: 1,802'
  • Main Span Length: 158'
  • Spans: 0
  • Deck Width: 60'
  • Roadway Width: 0
  • Height of Structure: 0
  • Above Vertical Clearance: 0
  • Navigational Clearance: 0

Sources

  1. “$10,000,000 Road Project Revealed.” Philadelphia Inquirer, 9 May 1952, p. 52.
  2. “Bids Opened for R.22 Link in Berks.” Morning Call [Allentown], 3 Oct. 1955, p. 5.
  3. “Hamburg By-Pass to Be Opened for Holidays.” Shamokin News-Dispatch, 29 Aug. 1957, p. 2.
  4. Lee, Christine. “Bridges on I-78, Route 61 to be upgraded, replaced.” Republican Herald, 18 Feb. 2020.
  5. Brelje, Beth. “Historic I-78 bridge near Hamburg to get an upgrade” Reading Eagle, 24 July 2017.

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