Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-05-24
THE NEW POTOMAC BRIDGE.

The board of engineer officers sp-
pointed by Secretary Root on March Y
to select site, 70. -nulste plans, speci'
| fcations and estimates for pas s-enger
bridge across the Potomac 10 replace
the Long B,idge and TO b, located with
| 10 500 feet of that structure, has prac-
| tically completed is report and will
submit it to the Secretary OF War with
| in a short time.
The bill ss'ed by G ingrees on Feb.
ruary II authorizes the Secretary OF
War to enter into contract with the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Com
psuy to Construct this highway bridge.
The sum OF (568 600 has been appro-
priated and the structure must b com.
pleted by February IL. 1908.
The plans favored by the engineer
board will make The bridge cost just
. 1868, 900 and provide for soeel sruc'
ture resting on masonry piers. There
will be seven spans, esch 25O feet long
and TWO spans, each 200 feet long, with
a drsw-bridge span, 250 feet. This will
give the bridge proper total length OF
z, 400 feet
There will be nine piers ind two
abutmepfs OF ufs ,nry. The draw pier
will contain 1910 cubic yards OF
me lonry. The floor of the bridge will
consist of steel plates, covered with
asphalt. The piers will lie 115 feet
farther apart than those of the Long
Bridge and will LESSEN the danger OF
the ice ims which cluse floods. The
draw will be sixty.eight feet wider
tpsn that on the old / ong Bridge, and
will lessen the liability of accidents.
The new structure Will be located
abb ut 5C1 feet a above the present bridge.
rhe approach st the north end Will
consist Of causeway paved with stone,
with q l0O-ioot bridge over the outer
lock. At the south end the tsuseway
will be paved with stone. The draw
bridge will be modern in every respect,
and will contain very powerful set OF
machinery.
This bridge is to be used only for
highway trsffic, the Baltimore and Po-
tomsc Railroad Company being re-
onired 10 replace the Long Bridge with
a s.eel railroad bridge within four
years. The highway bridge will be
omen for the use Of ell street railroad
companies chartered by Congress.
The ashiDgton, Alexandria, and
Mount Vernon Railroad company is
required 10 cease ooerating on the Long
Bridge and to lay its tracks on the new
structure. No overhead wires will be
permitted and an underground elec O
system must be laid. Each street rail-
way company using the bridge will be
r. quired to pay in taxes one-hsit oil per
cent for each passenger cerried across
| the bridge. The cost of the structure
will be divided between the District OF
Columbia and the United States gov
ernment-esch to pay one-half OF the
sum OF S568 600.
The wagon travel from the south will
not be inconvenienced by the change 10
the bridges, as the approach to the new
structure, being only 500 feet above the
Long Bridge, will not materially In
crease the distance travelled by teams.
The distance between the new bridge
and the Long Bridge will enable the
authorities to break up the ice between
the two structures and to prevent any
jam.
The Engineer Board Is at present
testing the bottom of a route 600 feet
above the Long Bridge and as eoou as
the exact distance can be learned
wherein there is safe foundation, the
report will be submitted TO Secretary
Root. The work on the structure will
begin as soon as Secretary Root form
ally adopts the report and accepts the
plans.