Evening journal., 1914-12-30
ENGINEER SAYS
BRIDGE IS SAFE
Washington Street Structure
Strong Enough For Many
More Years Service
WOULD REGULATE
TRAFFIC IN FUTURE


Consulting Engineer John E. Grei- c
ner submitted TO the Levy Court ye- L
terday afternoon his report ON the y
condition of Washington street bridge y
declaring the structure TO be safe for O
years to come, provided traffic regu-
lations are maintained on the bridge
The engineer found by examination il
that there Is no material deterioration 4
In the structure due 60 decay with the 4
exception Of several steel ioists. He
admitted that the bridge is a crude
and unsightly structure, over a beau D
! tiful valley and park, and is entirely i
out of harmony with its surroundings ,
Mr.. Greiner's report follows
Baltimore. Md. Dec. 2S, 1914
'The Levy Court of New Castle Coun- I
ty, Court Building, Wilmington, Del.
Gentlemen.
'In accordance with your instruc-
tions of December 8. have made a
thorough investigation into the safe
CARRYING capacity of your Washington
street bridge and respectfully submit
the following report in connection
herewith:
"A thorough inspection was made
Of every member and visible part Of
the bridge with view OF determining
the extent of cOrrosiOn, deterioration
and visible defects, the working of
the various parts, the vibration and l.
action under traffic and general physi.
cal condition, of the structure as =
whole, all of which will have an effect
3 upon the loads which the structure
can safely carry
81 found that with the exception of
some steel ioists under the roadway
a floor and a bottom strut near the north
+ end of the bridge and some wood road
e way joists there is now no evidence oil
2. any material deterioration due 20 cor
10 rosion or decay. During the past year.
t all steel iosts which carry the car
/. tracks, and those steel ioists which carry
# the roadway in the long span directly
I. over the creek have been renewed with
l. new steel ioists, and the deteriorated
b., steel joists which remain in the bridge
n have timber carrying ioists near them
II which relieve them of part of the load
,r which they We're originally intended to
&c carry. During this past year there
y were also a number of defective timber
1t ioists replaced with sound timbers and
r. the slightly decayed ioists which were
rs allowed to remain in place have been re-
IT inforced by an additional old ioist.
There are, therefore, two old OF slightly
,d decayed joists OF one new ioist between
he each steel roadway ioist. The roadway
1l' planking has also been recently thor
d oughly repaired and oyerhaulod. There
is one sway rod near the north abut-
ment which has separated from its con
nection and which should be attended I,
in the near future. The sway bracinp
We composed Of adjustable rods, has yer,
ma defective connections and the bottom
ro laterals composed of angles sag from
AZ their own weight. These defects hav'
. not been caused by wear or tear on thu
ol bridge or improper maintenance, but ar
lio due solely to improper design. Thi
bacing, therefore, would be very ineili
VI cient in holding the structure agains
lateral motion in case of crowds Of peo
w. pie on the structure or n congestion O
.Is heavy traffic. There is one truss rod n
ls, the east truss of the second span iron
raj the south end which should be adjustel
SO as TO enable il to carry its full shar
'ss' of the load and with this exception tn
,lu different members of the bridge ar
d working together fairly well. The trai
~ iic passing over the bridge at the tim
~ of the inspection consisted of the usua
~ trolley cars with very few passenger.
~ automobiles, light trucks, vehicles an
-; some pedestrians. Under this traffic tn
~ reflections and vibrations Of the struC
ture were insignificant, but on accoun
of the ineffective lateral and sway bra,
ing the lateral motion of this structuT
-, will undoubtedly be severe undo
~ AZ crowds or under congested traffic Wit
~ ~ the exception of the defects pointed OF
tnr. above the general physical condition ,
orv the structure is practically as good q
and the day it was constructed so far as ca
be determined by careful examinatio
. of all exposed parts.
-, Improvements to Bridge.
III "Unquestionably the work done o
this bridge during the past year ha
been of considerable benefit in th
I'm way of improving the safety OF III
w bridge, and after giving full consider
- alton TO the physical condition of III
~ structure as II now stands, and to til
TIC strains in the various parts when VI
der traffic, / am of the opinion thi
-'- this bridge at the present time wi
~ safely carry the following maximul
iLaaa loads:
"(a) The regularly operated sing
} truck trolley cars 80 #. long, weigl
ing 16 tons when loaded with 40 pa
sengers, or double truck trolley ca
80 #. S in. long, such as now use
on Delaware avenue, and which WI
weigh about % tons when loaded wi
- 80 passengers.
- "(b) Motor trucks, drays or ro'
rollers Weighing 8 tons on any pa
- of the roadway.
Ill "(c) A crowd of people or roadwl
traffic weighing 65 per so. #. of no
mo surface, and this is equivalent
EH 5000 per lin. IT. of bridge.
ka There are now in the city OF w
EH mington trolley cars weighing abo
"a 30 tons when loaded, motor true
HN weighing from 1-2 to u tons and
times of parades such as duri
H5 Old Home Week and other pub
, a. gatherings or congested street traf
, ~ the loading can easily amount to
HE per 50. fl. or 5000 per lin. IT.
I'm bridge. The bridge will be strained
IN cessively under the above loads
NN they are beyond its safe carrying
BE pacity and they should not be p
IN mitted on the structure.
= 4 "Your attention is called TO the 4
EE that the above loads which wo
Hn threaten the structures safety