Why a Skewed Arch Bridge?

Why a Skewed Arch Bridge? (HM15AL)

Location: Sierra Blanca, PA 79851 Blair County
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Country: United States of America
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N 40° 27.192', W 78° 32.573'

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Inscription
From 1834 to 1854 the Portage Railroad passed beneath the Skew Arch Bridge. The original hand hewn stone bridge was built at right angles to the railroad. A right angle turn was arduous for a wagon to negotiate; therefore to make the crossing compatible the bridge was turned, or skewed. This compromise lasted for the twenty years the portage railroad operated.

Compromise! The continued existence of the Skew Arch Bridge is a story in itself. It proves again that new transportation systems can accommodate old even as one is slowly replacing the other.

The roadway of old US Route 22 bends to accommodate the bridge. Engineers of this highway had to change their plans in order to conserve the Skew Arch Bridge. Today's preferred method of transportation still can make room for preserving our history. Is it always necessary to tear down the old before building the new? Continue up or down the trail to learn of other marvels of the system, and the effect it had on a young nation.
Details
HM NumberHM15AL
Tags
Placed ByNational Park Service
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Sunday, September 28th, 2014 at 1:30am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)17T E 708355 N 4480959
Decimal Degrees40.45320000, -78.54288333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 40° 27.192', W 78° 32.573'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds40° 27' 11.52" N, 78° 32' 34.38" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)915
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 306 Brown St, Sierra Blanca PA 79851, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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