Wissahickon Memorial Bridge, Concrete arch bridge in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, United States
The Wissahickon Memorial Bridge is a concrete arch bridge spanning Wissahickon Creek and Lincoln Drive while connecting East Falls and Roxborough. The structure features reinforced concrete construction and stands at a considerable height above the valley below.
Architect Paul Philippe Cret designed this structure in 1927, with construction completed in 1932. The project represented a major infrastructure undertaking for the developing city.
The bridge takes its name from residents of Philadelphia's northwest neighborhoods who served during World War I. This naming reflects the strong connection between the structure and the wartime experience of the local community.
The bridge serves as an important transportation route between the two neighborhoods and can be crossed on foot or by car. The structure underwent major renovation work in the early 2000s to ensure its stability and safety for continued use.
Original plans called for a lower deck to accommodate trolleys and a subway extension to Roxborough, features that never came to fruition during construction. These unrealized design elements reveal the city's ambitious transportation vision of the 1920s.
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