Wednesday, June, 27, 2007

Ms. Sandra Tosca, P.E.
District Executive
PennDOT Engineering District 3-0
715 Jordan Avenue
Montoursville, PA 17754	

Dear Ms. Tosca:
I would like to express strong support for leaving the historic Ulster Bridge standing next to its replacement, and halting the planned demolition of the bridge. The Ulster Bridge is a very beautiful, historic, and rare structure. Demolishing the Ulster Bridge will cost money, and will only result in the loss of a priceless historic structure. Leaving the Ulster Bridge standing today is a decision that will pay off tomorrow, as a beautiful and historic landmark that will only become more significant with time.

The Ulster Bridge is very important for having a great deal of historic significance and an extremely high level of aesthetic value. The Ulster Bridge is noteworthy for its impressive, beautiful design, but it is historically noteworthy for its size. Consulting engineers Skelly and Loy found that the bridge is the longest pin-connected truss bridge known to continue to carry traffic. The bridge also appears to retain a remarkable level of historic integrity, especially considering its size, with no major alterations, perhaps aside from the metal grate deck. The pony truss approach spans are quite noteworthy, both for their length and multi-span design, as well as their unusual vertical end posts. The bridge is also noteworthy because it features both pinned connections on the main spans, and riveted connections on the pony truss spans. This bridge was built at a time when rigid riveted connections were just starting to be used, and having both designs on a single bridge makes the Ulster Bridge a unique opportunity for visitors to compare the differences. Finally, the Ulster Bridge is simply a beautiful bridge. The graceful arch shapes of the main spans are both bold yet delicate in appearance. They make crossing the Susquehanna River a noticeable event, yet do not obscure or detract from the natural beauty of the river. The trusses and bracing form a unique geometric art that is replicated in no other bridge type. Finally, the Ulster Bridge is a craftsman’s record. The use of rivets, built-up members and chords, are all a record, and often the only record, of not only the engineers who designed the bridge, but also of the workers who fabricated the steel, and those who riveted the bridge together. This bridge is a historical record of the period, and often the story can be told by inspecting the parts of the bridge, as well as viewing the bridge as a whole.

The Ulster Bridge is not in the way of its replacement bridge, under construction just south of the bridge. As a result, the Ulster Bridge could be restored for pedestrian use, perhaps using the costs of demolition toward that end. However, if funds are short at the current time, there is still no need to demolish the historic Ulster Bridge. The bridge could be left standing with no further repairs, and perhaps closed to all traffic including pedestrians. Even this option will retain a beautiful and historic structure for people to enjoy looking at from the new bridge. It will also leave the door open for preservation in the future. In its current condition, the Ulster Bridge would likely stand for decades with no additional serious structural problems, a fact only strengthened with the absence of traffic on the bridge after the new bridge is completed. 

Some might wonder about the liability of abandoning a bridge next to its replacement, even if rehabilitation is likely a five years down the road. However, the SRI Foundation conducted a study and found that among the participating DOTs, no agency could report a single incidence of a lawsuit over a historic bridge. The idea of bypassing or abandoning a historic bridge is not new, as other states have done this, including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia. Even Pennsylvania has a few abandoned truss bridges around. Indiana presents a great example of why leaving the Ulster Bridge standing is important. On the Dearborn and Ohio County line, the Triple Whipple Bridge was bypassed many years ago with construction of new state trunk line alignment a distance east of the bridge. The bridge was not demolished and was left standing closed to traffic for years. Today, awareness that this is the last remaining example of its unusual truss configuration has increased. Now, the two counties are going to restore this structure and enjoy the increase in tourism and desirability it will bring. Similarly, a bridge of the size, integrity, and beauty of the Ulster Bridge will likely pay off in the future as well.

It is likely that future years will see a dramatic increase in the awareness of metal truss bridges as the number of truss bridges remaining declines. Counties with many truss bridges, such as Bradford County have a unique opportunity to use their collection of historic truss bridges to promote tourism in the way many counties have used wooden covered bridges. Indeed, Pennsylvania’s great track record for preserving wooden covered bridges should be inspiration for preserving other worthy historic bridges types, like the metal truss spans that compose the Ulster Bridge. Funding programs for historic bridges may expand with this increasing public interest in historic bridges, particularly metal truss bridges. 

Left standing, the Ulster Bridge will remain as a historic landmark for people to enjoy. It will also leave the door open for future rehabilitation for pedestrian use. Once demolished, there is no way bring the Ulster Bridge back, no matter how much people might want it in the years to come. However, as long as the bridge is still standing, it is not too late to make the right choice. If the bridge is left standing today, the bridge can continue to have a chance at a bright future. Please set aside the money for demolition, and save the beautiful and historic Ulster Bridge! 

Sincerely,