Overview
The Burnt House Road Bridge, known as the “humpback bridge”, was closed in 2009 after 100 years of service. The two-span arch bridge served as Dickinson Township’s main north-south thoroughfare, carrying Burnt House Road over Yellow Breeches Creek. With locals seeking to preserve the appearance of the single-lane bridge, PennDOT needed to find solution that would balance stakeholder desires with modern day demands.
As part of a Pro-Team Approach, Modjeski and Masters (M&M) met early with PennDOT and proposed a new two-lane bridge with a sidewalk to facilitate safer vehicle and pedestrian traffic. To match the look of the existing bridge and reduce total construction time, our engineers recommended the use of 30-ft. pre-cast CON/SPAN arch units. The new award-winning, three-span bridge design also features streamlined hydraulics, replacing the original large pier in the center of the creek with two low-profile piers closer to the banks. Context sensitive design elements were also incorporated via a stamped and tinted concrete facade resembling similar stonework in the area. While minimizing Right-of-Way impacts, M&M’s design also led to an improved alignment, eliminating the previous skew and subsequent “kink” in the roadway approaching the bridge. The asphalt wearing surface reduces ongoing maintenance costs and increases bridge longevity as it can be repaved as necessary without the need for invasive deck reconstruction.
Bridge Geometry
| Length of Main Span | 30 Feet |
|---|---|
| Total Project Length | 100 Feet |
| Lanes on Structure | Two lanes, one sidewalk |
