Trap Rock Bridge - 1908 - Birdsboro, PA
N 40° 14.813 W 075° 49.268
18T E 430160 N 4455483
Trap Rock Bridge crosses Hay Creek in the Birdsboro Waters preserve in southeast Pennsylvania.
Waymark Code: WM17C3A
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 01/23/2023
Views: 2
This bridge at one time was part of PA state route 82, which paralleled Hay Creek southward from Birdsboro, PA. In 1972, Tropical Storm Agnes so badly flooded Hay Creek that two bridges closer to Birdsboro (to the north) were wiped out. Rather than rebuild PA route 82, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation decided to close route 82 and let the area revert to nature. One will need to hike quite a while to get here, but the area is actually kind of sublimely odd. The area is called "Trap Rock" because there are several quarries for trap rocks in the immediate vicinity.
Fortunately, this bridge was not destroyed and it is actually a rather historic bridge. Despite the heavy metal spray paint on the bridge plaque, some details can be made out (as best I can):
TRAP ROCK BRIDGE
BUILT 1908
O.B. CLEAVER
JAMES F FISHER County Commissioner
JAMES M YERGER
N. M. DAVIS Engineer
J.J. ESHELMAN Inspector
WILLAUER & Co. Contractor
There are some details available on Bridgehunter.com:
https://bridgehunter.com/pa/berks/60082015233220/
These are collected here:
Overview
Concrete arch bridge over Hay Creek on PA 82
Location
Birdsboro, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Status
Closed to all traffic
History
Built 1908
Design
Arch
Dimensions
Span length: 49.9 ft.
Total length: 49.9 ft.
Deck width: 20.0 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+40.24689, -75.82114 (decimal degrees)
40°14'49" N, 75°49'16" W (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
18/430160/4455483 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Elverson
Inventory numbers
PA 06 0082 0152 3322 (Pennsylvania Bridge Management System number)
BH 30425 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Date built or dedicated as indicated on the date stone or plaque.: 1908
Date stone, plaque location.: At the center of the bridge, naturally
Road, body of water, land feature, etc. that the bridge spans.: Old PA Route 82 Crossing Hay Creek
Website (if available): [Web Link]
Parking (safe parking location): Not Listed
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