Monday, November 8, 2021

1930 US-44 FDR Mid-Hudson Bridge over Hudson River at Poughkeepsie

(Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; HAER; B&T3D Satellite)

Amtrak
Poughkeepsie offers the perfect backdrop for autumn adventures. Walk part of the Mid-Hudson Bridge for a unique day date, then make your way back to the rails for a relaxing return trip.

Photo by Chris Lewis via BridgeHunter, cropped,
License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)

HAER NY,14-POKEP,7--6 (CT)
GENERAL VIEW OF BRIDGE FROM WEST BANK OF RIVER, THE TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE CAN BE SEEN IN BACKGROUND. - Mid Hudson Suspension Bridge, Spanning Hudson River, Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, NY

HAER NY,14-POKEP,7--3
3. View of west tower from east bank off river, Poughkeepsie Cantilever Railroad Bridge in background. - Mid Hudson Suspension Bridge, Spanning Hudson River, Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, NY

The superstructure was designed by Ralph Modjeski, and I like the design of one main X in the towers. The merging of the bottoms of the X with the legs of the tower makes it look simple and strong. But I don't care for the bunch of little Xs near the top. I can't imagine that they add much to the strength of the tower. Because it is a pony-truss deck, we can see the V-laced compression members of the truss.
Street View

1 of 5 photos posted by Bridges & Tunnels
The Mid-Hudson Bridge is a wire suspension crossing that carries US Route 44 and NY Route 55 over the Hudson River between Ulster County and Poughkeepsie, New York. The movement for a vehicular crossing began in 1919 when Governor Alfred E. Smith expressed support for the plan. Subsequently, a local committee raised funds and retained George W. Goethals & Company to survey and prepare plans. The firm estimated the cost of constructing a cantilever bridge at $4.9 million.
In 1923, legislation was introduced in the state legislature by J. Griswold Webb and John M. Hackett, calling for the construction of the bridge. At that time, the Bear Mountain Bridge was the only existing bridge across the river south of Albany. On June 2, 1923, Governor Smith signed the legislation, which appropriated $200,000 to provide surveys, specifications, and preliminary work.
The Mid-Hudson Bridge design contract was awarded to Modjeski & Moran, with construction beginning in May 1925. Work was halted for a year when the east caisson experienced a severe tilt that had to be corrected using pulleys and dredged at 18 inches per day over the next two years. Superstructure erection began by the American Bridge Company in April 1929, and the new Mid-Hudson Bridge opened to traffic in August 1930.
➤ Learn more about the Mid-Hudson Bridge at http://bridgestunnels.com/location/mid-hudson-bridge/

Glenn Raymo posted
Consist passing the FDR/Mid-Hudson Bridge.
Glenn Raymo shared
 
Craig Schofield posted
Barge about to pass under the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Mid-Hudson Bridge. Spanning the Hudson between Poughkeepsie and Highland NY.

Bridges Now and Then posted
New York's Mid-Hudson Bridge is seen during construction, 1929. (Credit Unknown)

Bridges Now and Then posted
New York State's Mid Hudson Bridge, c. 1930. (NYS Bridge Authority)

Bridges Now and Then shared an Historic Bridges of the Hudson Valley post
Here's another progress photo of the Mid-Hudson Bridge truss construction, taken #OnThisDay [Apr 2014] in 1930! Keep an eye on #MHB90thAnniversary for more archived construction photos, and updates on how we'll be celebrating the bridge's 90th anniversary.

Shout out to Modjeski and Masters, Inc. for this photo!

Bridges Now and Then shared an Historic Bridges of the Hudson Valley post
Construction on New York's Mid-Hudson Bridge, May 7, 1930.

Bridges Now and Then posted three photos with the comment:
A post sent from our friend Dave Frieder, posting late on my part, from January 27,
 "Today (Jan. 27) is the Birthday of the great Civil Engineer Ralph Modjeski. He was responsible for many great bridges which include the San Francisco Oakland-Bay Bridge, the Ben Franklin Bridge and the Mid-Hudson Bridge which I climbed and photographed in 2011. There is a DVD presently available on his life and his great works! Here are a few images I took of the Mid-Hudson bridge."
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Bridges Now and Then shared an Historic Bridges of the Hudson Valley post
A tower for the Mid-Hudson Bridge being assembled on land. Taken on March 10, 1928.
[Wow, I wonder how they lifted it in to place back then. Or was this just a temporary assembly to verify that all of the pieces will fit together?]

Bridges Now and Then shared an Historic Bridges of the Hudson Valley post
Taken #OnThisDay [Oct 28] in 1929 is this picture of the footwalks erected during the construction of the Mid-Hudson Bridge. Footwalks were used by construction workers while stringing suspension cables.
This photo is part of our #MHB90thAnniversary series leading up to the anniversary of the Mid-Hudson Bridge in August 2020!

Bridges Now and Then shared an Historic Bridges of the Hudson Valley post
Here's a photo of the sidewalk being filled with concrete on the Mid-Hudson Bridge during its construction. This photo was taken #OnThisDay [July 29] in 1930, less than a month before the bridge was officially opened.
#MHB90thAnniversary is quickly approaching! The photos we have been using for this series have been provided by Modjeski and Masters, Inc.

Bridges Now and Then shared an Historic Bridges of the Hudson Valley post
Here's a photo of the Mid Hudson Bridge's east tower being constructed, taken #OnThisDate [July 17] 90 years ago!

Bridges Now and Then posted
New York's Mid-Hudson Bridge is seen during construction, c. 1929. (Modjeski and Masters)
Kathryn Burke: Actually Modjeski & Moran
Bridges Now and Then: Kathryn Burke Yep, the design was, but the pic came from Modjeski and Masters.

John Adler provided two 2016 photos as comments on the above post.
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Bridges Now and Then posted
New York State's Mid Hudson Bridge, seen during construction, 1929-30.(NYSBA Archive)
Ilan Freedman: The Mid-hudson Bridge is the second vehicular bridge to cross the Hudson River, between Highland, and Poughkeepsie.

Bridges Now and Then posted
Iron workers sit 310 feet above the Hudson river on the Mid-Hudson Bridge as it is being constructed in August 1929.
Dan Murphy: That's my hometown suspension bridge! It's neat to consider that this bridge was one of the world's longest suspension bridges when opened. Then the George Washington Br opened the following year and set a new modern standard.

Bridges Now and Then posted
Iron workers sit 310-feet above the Hudson River during construction of the Mid-Hudson Bridge at Poughkeepsie, N.Y., c. 1929. (Photo by Harry Warnecke/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

Bridges Now and Then shared an Historic Bridges of the Hudson Valley post
Here's an interesting view of Poughkeepsie from the footwalks used during construction of the Mid-Hudson Bridge! This photo was taken #OnThisDay [Feb 13] in 1930, and is part of our #MHB90thAnniversary series! This photo was provided to us by Modjeski and Masters, Inc.

Dave Frieder commented on the above post
This was a great bridge to Climb and photograph!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Bridges Now and Then posted
New York's Mid-Hudson Bridge, August 29, 1930. (Modjeski and Masters)
 
Bridges Now and Then posted
Construction of the roadway on New York's Mid-Hudson Bridge, August 14, 1930. The bridge was opened 11 days later, August 25, 1930. (Historic Bridges of the Hudson Valley)

Bridges Now and Then shared an Historic Bridges of the Hudson Valley post
#TollTuesday All of NYSBA’s spans, with the exception of the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge, have a pedestrian path on them. Most notably, the Bear Mountain Bridge carries the Appalachian National Scenic Trail across the Hudson River.
#DidYouKnow that pedestrians used to pay a toll on New York State Bridge Authority spans? When NYSBA started in 1933, the pedestrian toll was $0.20, the cost of at least 3 loaves of bread. Pedestrian tolls decreased to $0.10 in 1937, then a nickel in 1945. These tolls were eliminated in 1980, when the second span of the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge opened.
Pictured: Pedestrians crossing the Mid-Hudson Bridge on its opening day in 1930. At that time, the bridge was owned by the NYS Department of Public Works. NYSBA took over the bridge (and its original tolls) in 1933.



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