The "Fading Memories" Story

New bridge from the north-east side.

It was an ordinary day.  Driving across the old Rt. 501 bridge heading south into the city of Lancaster.  As I got to the north end of the bridge I looked to my right to see how the new Rt. 501 bridge is progressing.  I wrote a story about the need for the new bridge quite some time ago and thought I would update the story with some photos and information about the new bridge.  

You can see the girders being backed southward on
Rt. 501 to the new bridge.  Hertzler Photo

Well, quite a few businesses have been either shutdown or changed because of the new con- struction.  Street closings and rerouting of traffic have played havoc for the owners of an auto dealership, gas station, car wash and eye doctor.  I'm sure they will be glad when the new bridge opens.  The bridge passes over the main Amtrak line from Philadelphia to Harrisburg and after both sides entrances on either side of the bridge had been prepared, the long steel girders had to be put in place over the railroad tracks.  

The south side of the new bridge.  This side show more
progress than the north side.

They were made locally by High Steel Company.  Each of the six girders weighed 90,000 pounds and was 178 feet long.  In order to deliver them to the construction site on the over-burdened roads, it was done at night.  At 11:30 PM on September 8th of last year they traveled from the High Steel plant on US Rt. 30 west to Rt. 501 (Lititz Pike).  As they exited Rt. 30 they traveled north until the entire girder length had cleared Rt. 30, then they were BACKED southward the quarter-mile to the new bridge.  Quite a site!  

The new bridge taken from inside the Lancaster Amtrak Station.

Three trucks made two trips each until all were delivered and in place.  The bridge will have four 11 foot wide lanes, two going in each direction and a five foot walkway on either side.  The initial cost was believed to be $26.25 million, but that was before they decided to add the walkways.  The bridge is actually starting to look like a ….. well a bridge.  On the south end of the bridge or the gateway to the city, a sculpture will be placed to add some aesthetic appeal to the bridge.  

Winning sculpture entry by Lyman Whitaker.

A nationwide contest was initiated to decide what the sculpture would look like and a committee chose three finalists.  One of the sculptures, an illuminated blue-glass star, designed by Maryland artist Judy Moore, was picked by people who voted on the LancasterArts Facebook page.  A kinetic wind sculpture made by Utah artist Lyman Whitaker got the most votes based on comments submitted after a public presentation.  

Entry from Suikang Zhoa.

And, a word-cut metal swirl sculpture made by artist Suikang Zhao, a native of China, that trailed in the Facebook voting was then favored over Moore's star by people at the public presentation.  And then Lancaster Newspapers had a poll where "none of the above" won. Finally Lyman Whitaker's design won the $200,000 prize and will be in place when the ribbon is cut and the first car crosses the bridge.  

The Star by Judy Moore.

All I know is that the old bridge that I used to walk across to get to elementary school and the hills that fell from either side of the bridge where I rode my sled will be demolished.  I know it will clear an eyesore in the area, but still makes me sad to see some of my old childhood memories being destroyed. Knew it had to happen sometime, but was hoping it wasn't in my lifetime.  But then again, at least I outlived a concrete bridge and a few piles of dirt.  Not many people can say that.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.