Smyrna times., 1923-07-18
FOUR 175-FT. BRIDGES TO SPAN
DELAWARE CHESAPEAKE CANAL
ONE AT DELAWARE CITY, ST.
GEORGES, SUMMIT AND BETHEL
At Chesapeake City a 25O-FOOt Span
Bridge Will be Built-Expect Work
to BEGIN on Them Next January

to Begin on Them Next January
As an evidence Of the Importance of,
the Chesapeake and Delaware Ship
Canal, the construction of which is
now under way, under the direction of
Col. Earl l. Brown, U. S. Engineer for
this district, announcement was made
last week that the highway bridges
that will cross the waterway will be
of much larger proportions than was
originally planned. The openings of
four of the six bridges-at the Della
ware Bay entrance below Delaware
City; st. Georges and Summit, Del;
and Bethel, Md.,-wiu be IT'S feet
each instead of lis feet as at first
proposed. The opening of the bridge
at Chesapeake City, the largest struc-
ture along the canal, will be approx
imately $50 feet. All of these five
bridges will be of the vertical lift
type, uniformly. The sixth bridge, in
Delaware City proper, will be of the
bascule type.\ 1t will have an opening
of about fifty feet. The canal that
now runs through Delaware City will
be retained for smaller craft. A larg-
er bridge at this place, therefore, will
not be needed. In addition to the
above structures, all of which will be
built by the Government at a proba-
bic cost of between $1,500,000 and $2,-
100000, a seventh bridge, incomform-
ity Herewith, will be constructed by
the Pennsylvania Railroad for its
crossing between st. Georges and
Summit.
Engineers Nearly Have Plans Ready
This Improvement was decided upon
in order to provide for any future en-
largement of the waterway. Harring-
ton, Howard & Ash, of Kansas City,
consulting engineers, who are prepar-
ing plans and specifications for the
six Government bridges, are now
drawing plans in accordance with the
change. They will be completed in
about six weeks. With the awarding
of contracts and the completion OF
other matters in connection Herewith
it is anticipated that work will be
started on the structures about Janu-
airy first. Owing to the immensity Of
the project, about two years will be
required for the task. The vertica
lift bridges will be lifted to a maxi
mum height of 145 feet, ten feet high
er than Brooklyn Bridge. This will
mean that the entire span will be rails
ed after the manner of an elevator
The operation will be rapid. As i
well-known, the Ship Canal will hav,
no locks. 1t will be a sea level pro
iect, wholly. This will recessitate un
usually deep foundations for all of tn
bridges in order to meet the tida
equalization. At Summit, for exam
pie, the piers will go ffty-seven fee
below the water of the canal.
Bridges Will be Constructed of SteC
The channel, which will have
depth at the start of twelve feet, wi
be ninety feet wide. This will caus
the width Of the waterway, proper, t
be at least $50 feet. As future al
preparations shall be made by Coz
gress, the canal will be both widene
and deepened. Hence, the enlarg
ment of the bridges. 1t is planne
ultimately, to have a channel 35 fe
in depth. This would enable all ma
ner of sea-going craft to go throus
the waterway. The bridges will ;
be constructed of steel. AS militia
loadings will be provided for they W
- all be very heavy. The floors of t
vertica lift structures will be paw
with a continuation Of the highwa
generally concrete. In addition
large driveways, double sidewalks "
be installed. It is likely that all
the bridges viii be under construct
at about the same time. With I
? excavation work, this will mean a c.
tinuous series Of operations from D
aware City to Chesapeake City, d
tance Of thirteen miles.