Smyrna times., 1959-12-17
Gala Dedication
Set For S7,5OO,OOO
New Summit Span

ficials who will attend the dedi-
cation of the Summit Bridge on
Saturday, January 8, it was an
nounced Tuesday.
According to Frank J. Horty,
dedication day chairman, Gen.
eral Itschner accepted an invi-
tation to come to Delaware ex-
tended to him through the Of
fee of u. S. Senator j. Allen
Frear.
Other top U. S. Army Engi-
neer Corpsmen who are expect
ed to attend the dedication and
opening ceremonies are: Brig.
Gen. T. H. Lipscomb, division
engineer; Col. R. P. Kline, as
sistant division engineer; P. H.
Jaenichen, chief, engineering di-
vision; and E. ]. Reilly, chief,
technical liaison branch, all of
the New York office.
The Baltimore District office
will be represented by Col.
Stanley T. B. Johnson, District
Engineer; and Col. t. H. Set
life, District Engineer in the
Philadelphia office will be pres
ent.
Also from Philadelphia will
come Maj. c. L. Steel, assistant
for military construction; Maj
H. w. Durham, assistant for
civil works; and members of the
engineering and technical engi-
neering divisions, according to
Mr.. Horty.
Tear Down Old Span
The new $7,5OO,OO0 high lev.
el fixed highway span across
the Chesapeake and Delaware
Canal at Summit, will be dedi.
Gated and demolition of the old
Summit Bridge, about $500 feet
to the east, will begin immedi.
ately. 1t. General Itschner will
strike the first demolition blow
it has been announced.
Top level federal, state, ano
municipal officials have also
been invited to the ceremonies
Following a ribbon-cutting ano
beginning of the demolition Of
the old bridge, the party will
continue to Kent Manor Inr
where a luncheon will be serv
ed.
The new Summit canal cross
ing is part of a long range plar
for a limited access highway
connecting the Chesapeake Bay
Bridge and the Delaware Mem
orial Bridge. The new structure
designed by ]. E. Greiner Com
pany, Baltimore, has four traf
fic lanes and provides verti
cal clearance of 1876 feet above
mean high water over a channe
with width of 450. There i.
a horizontal clearance of ap
proximately $50 feet between
the main piers.
The super-structure consist.
of structural steel truss span:
and girder spans supporting {
reinforced concrete deck on {
structural steel floor system.
Eliminates Delays
The 2058 feet long bridge will
eliminate delays to vehiculal
traffic while removing a hazarc
to shipping, it is pointed out
The old Summit Bridge is two.
lane vertical lift span with g
horizontal clearance of only l6a
feet.
Excavation and bank stabili.
Zation work was done by Bar.
ney Zinick of Brooklyn under
a 100000 contract.
The sub-structure was con.
structed by MCLEAN Contract
ing Company of Baltimore, con
sisting of 8 piers and 2 abut-
ments. All piers and abutments
are reinforced concrete support
ed on steel "H' piles. MCLEAN
started the project on Febru.
ary Is, 1857, under a 100000
contract and completed the
work October 3, 1858.
The super-structure was built
by American Bridge Division OF
u. S. Steel Corporation, Phila-
delphia, under a $4,260,000 con.
tract. The reinforced steel deck
provides two roadways, each
25 feet wide with a total width
of 64 feet including the walk.
ways. The contractor started
work on May 3, 1857.
Approach road paving is be-
ing done by the Delaware State
Highway Department on a cost
reimbursable basis. The esti.
mated cost of this work is al
100000.
The dedication exercises will
mark the completion of the first
phase of the approximately
0,Or7 pOO mn n ooo;o.,o IL,