Raritan Bay Drawbridge, Railway swing bridge in Perth Amboy, United States.
The Raritan Bay Drawbridge is a steel swing bridge carrying a railway line across the Raritan River between Perth Amboy and South Amboy in New Jersey. The central span rotates horizontally on a pivot to open a channel for river traffic, while the fixed approaches on either side carry the tracks in a straight line.
A first bridge at this crossing was built in 1875, but it could not handle the growing demand from rail traffic and was replaced by the current steel structure in 1908. Since then, the bridge has gone through several rounds of repair following storm damage and collisions with river vessels.
The bridge is a familiar landmark for people living along both riverbanks, and the sight of its span swinging open is something local residents have grown up watching. Trains crossing it are a regular part of daily life in Perth Amboy and South Amboy.
The bridge is an active railway structure and is not open to pedestrians or cyclists. Good views of the swing mechanism can be had from the riverbanks on either side, and the span is more likely to be open during periods of active river traffic.
In 2012, two tugboats struck the bridge in separate incidents, causing enough damage to require realignment of parts of the structure. The repairs that followed showed how closely the bridge's condition depends on the steady flow of river traffic passing beneath it.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
