Jackson Street Bridge, Steel swing bridge over Passaic River in Newark, United States
Jackson Street Bridge is a steel structure with a movable swing span that crosses the Passaic River between Newark and Harrison. The bridge features a lattice truss design and allows river traffic to pass through when its central section is opened for vessels.
The bridge was built by Fagan Iron Works in Hoboken beginning in 1897 and opened to traffic in 1903. A major restoration in 1991 renewed its structural integrity and operational function.
The structure represents the industrial heritage of Newark, featuring innovative engineering with its curved chord lattice truss design and swing span mechanism.
The bridge serves traffic between Newark and Harrison but requires maritime vessels to provide at least four hours notice before requesting the swing span to open. Visitors should be aware that boat traffic can temporarily block passage across the span.
The swing mechanism was originally powered by steam but was converted to compressed air and later to propane gas to simplify on-site operation. These modifications show how engineers adapted the original design to meet changing needs over time.
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