Newkirk Viaduct

Gray's Ferry Bridge Company

Company type	Company
Industry	Bridge construction and maintenance
Founded	1806
Headquarters	Philadelphia , United States

Grays Ferry Bridge—previously known as Gray's Ferry Bridge—denotes a series of both floating and permanent bridges that have crossed the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. The existing bridge, constructed in 1976, is a divided highway with four lanes, carrying Grays Ferry Avenue from the Grays Ferry neighborhood over the river and the Northeast Corridor railway tracks into the Southwest Philadelphia district of Kingsessing.

In 1902, rail operations were transferred to the neighboring Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Bridge No. 1, which was dismantled in 2018. The pilings from this former bridge currently support a new pedestrian and bicycle bridge under development as part of the Schuylkill River Trail.

Ferry

Prior to the construction of bridges spanning the Schuylkill River, transportation across was facilitated by three ferries linking Philadelphia with locations to the west and south. Two of these operated within city boundaries:

• The Upper or Sculls Ferry, situated near where the Spring Garden Street Bridge stands today
• The Middle Ferry, close to the current Market Street Bridge.

The third ferry, known as Lower Ferry, crossed further south near Mill Creek. Around 1673, Benjamin Chambers established this crossing after obtaining a license prompted by objections from Swedish settlers who opposed restricted access at Middle Ferry. This ferry connected Philadelphia with Darby Road (present-day Woodland Avenue at 47th Street), part of the historic King's Highway, which served as a major route toward Delaware, Baltimore, and other southern colonies.

In 1696, colonial officials ordered road construction from both ferry landings: one leading north into Philadelphia and another heading west toward Darby, Pennsylvania. Lower Ferry functioned as the main southern gateway to Philadelphia until 1781 when a federal road linked its vicinity directly to Market Street in West Philadelphia.

Maps from 1753 still referred to it as "Lower Ferry," but it soon took on the name of its new proprietors, Robert and George Gray. George Gray (1725–1800) owned extensive property near the ferry’s eastern landing within today’s Grays Ferry area and was among Pennsylvania’s signers of the U.S. Constitution ratification in 1787.

Floating bridges

The initial crossing over the Schuylkill River was a pontoon bridge erected in 1777 by British forces occupying Philadelphia. Foreseen by General John Armstrong, Sr. of Pennsylvania’s militia, it was completed on October 20, 1777; however, British commanders removed it after just two days to prioritize other river crossings. The structure was then relocated to Middle Ferry but soon succumbed to flooding; a replacement was finished by November 11.

By December 1777, another floating bridge was established at Lower Ferry to facilitate military movements. The British reconstructed it again in spring 1778 and left it intact when they withdrew in June. Recognizing its strategic importance, Pennsylvania’s government agreed to maintain it with an annual payment of £800.

In 1780, ice damage destroyed the bridge, leading to a £7,500 reconstruction financed by the Supreme Executive Council. The redesigned bridge featured a plank deck laid over logs anchored midstream with railings; it could flex with tides and handle load pressures. Heavy wagons often caused parts of the deck to dip below water level. A drawbridge segment allowed boats to pass beneath. During severe weather events, the entire span could be unmoored and later reassembled.

Although there were clear benefits to constructing a permanent bridge, no fixed crossing was built for many years. A company chartered as "Gray's Ferry Bridge Company" in 1806 failed to realize such plans.

By 1828, commercial river traffic beneath the bridge had grown considerably—304 vessels passed through in March alone—including schooners, sloops, oyster boats, and rafts.

As late as 1834, Gray's Ferry remained recognized as a historic recreational destination where the floating bridge continued functioning much as it had since Revolutionary times.

Significant crossings

At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, delegates frequently traversed the bridge to visit locations such as Gray's Ferry Tavern and Bartram's Garden.

It is probable that George Washington utilized the ferry or subsequent bridges during his travels between Mount Vernon, Virginia and Philadelphia. He crossed the floating bridge at Gray's Ferry on at least two occasions; notably, on May 13, 1787, he recorded arriving in Philadelphia for the convention, accompanied by local militia. On April 20, 1789, laurel arches and flags were placed on the bridge by the Grays and artist Charles Willson Peale to honor Washington’s journey as he became the first president of the United States.

Newkirk Viaduct (1838-1902)

In 1831, Pennsylvania authorized a company to construct a railway connecting Philadelphia to Delaware. After route evaluations in 1835, Gray's Ferry was selected as the site for a permanent crossing over the Schuylkill River. By December 1836, the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Company had secured the necessary land.

From 1836 to 1838, an 800-foot covered truss bridge was built by the railroad, supported by five piers and featuring a draw span to accommodate boat traffic. The structure included a single rail track along its southern side and a roadway on the northern side. The total expenditure approached $200,000. This bridge was named after company president Matthew Newkirk (1794–1868), who is commemorated by an obelisk at the western entrance.

Opening in 1838, this bridge completed the direct rail connection between Philadelphia and Wilmington. Initially, locomotives were prohibited from city streets; therefore, railcars were drawn by horses over a three-mile distance to the PW&B terminus at Broad Street and Washington Avenue, which commenced operation in 1840.

An ice freshet in January 1839 caused considerable damage to the bridge, destroying one pier and two sections. Repairs were finalized within a few weeks at a cost below $15,000. Road traffic tolls were collected until 1847 when Philadelphia County paid $50,000 to eliminate them; the railroad agreed to undertake rebuilding if required.

By June 1846, a telegraph line had been installed on the Viaduct, establishing the first telecommunications link between New York and Washington. The bridge was reinforced in 1852 to accommodate steam locomotives, replacing horse-drawn cars.

In November 1854, damage resulted from a steamboat collision; temporary fixes allowed continued operation. During the Civil War period, PW&B’s terminal in Philadelphia functioned as a key embarkation point for troops. A fire in December 1863 damaged an eastern span; firefighters removed the draw section to preserve the remainder of the structure. Subsequently, it was reconstructed as an uncovered Town lattice truss. In 1865, it was referenced in Gilman v. Philadelphia, confirming federal authority over interstate commerce on navigable waterways.

By 1889, the Viaduct consisted of four spans totaling 503 feet in length, including a Howe truss span with a covered portion.

The western approach evolved into a railroad center with an enginehouse from its inception; by 1876 an eight-stall roundhouse had been added. By 1877, passenger services stopped at Gray's Ferry station located on 49th Street between Grays and Paschall Streets. Northbound express trains arriving from Washington, Baltimore, or Wilmington transferred here to connect with Pennsylvania Railroad lines without requiring passengers to change trains.

In 1873, tracks south of the bridge were realigned inland towards Chester to bypass marshy terrain and reduce reliance on drawbridges; this Darby Improvement began service on May 12.

Following Pennsylvania Railroad’s acquisition of PW&B in 1880-81, the Viaduct’s importance for passenger service diminished. PRR rerouted passenger trains through West Philadelphia while using Newkirk Viaduct primarily for freight access to Delaware River docks. After losing access rights, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad constructed its own nearby crossing.

Although a new draw span was installed in 1891, maintenance difficulties remained. Concurrently, Philadelphia pursued construction of a wider bridge to accommodate trolley cars and street traffic between Grays Ferry and Kingsessing neighborhoods.

Grays Ferry Bridge (1901–1976)

By the closing years of the 19th century, the narrow Newkirk Viaduct had become a significant traffic choke point. In 1900, the Philadelphia Record reported severe congestion that caused many travelers to divert to the South Street bridge, highlighting steep slopes and hazardous conditions for heavily burdened wagons. In December 1896, Philadelphia allocated $400,000—eventually totaling approximately $475,000—to construct a new Grays Ferry Bridge, with official authorization granted by ordinance the following April.

The stone masonry was finished in December 1898 by Pittsburgh’s Jutte and Foley Company at a cost of $250,000. The five piers spanning the river and most abutments were excavated down to bedrock and built using rockfaced ashlar combined with Port Deposit granite coping.

The metal framework and timber fender were erected by the Phoenix Bridge Company, completing construction on March 1, 1901, under a contract valued at $145,959.98. Subsequent work on pavement, railings, and additional elements was finalized on May 20 by the Alcatraz Paving Company for $66,870.

The bridge extended 1,190 feet in total length with a metal superstructure measuring 1,660 feet. It featured a 36-foot-wide roadway flanked by two sidewalks each 10 feet wide. Two trolley tracks operated by the Union Traction Company connected Spruce and Pine streets to Darby lines along Woodland Avenue. The western terminus was elevated above the extensive 14-track PW&B railyard. A swing span of 223 feet allowed for river navigation, providing 75 feet of clearance on either side; it could be opened within one minute using electric motors powered via underwater cables. If necessary, manual operation required a dozen workers cranking for approximately ten minutes. A vertical clearance of 22 feet enabled police and fireboats to pass beneath without necessitating bridge openings.

Officially opening on March 9, 1901, this bridge relieved the railroad company from maintaining the highway portion of the Newkirk Viaduct, which PW&B subsequently closed. Under this agreement, the railroad refunded $55,000 previously received for perpetual upkeep as well as $20,000 allocated by the city for Viaduct improvements.

By January 1, 1902, records indicate that the drawbridge had been opened 2,653 times to allow passage to 4,969 vessels.

A U.S. Geological Survey report from 1902 referred to the location as "Grays Ferry," notably omitting an apostrophe.

PW&B No. 1 (1902–2018)

In October 1902, the railroad completed construction of a single-track bridge featuring a swing span rotating on a cylindrical stone pier positioned midstream, supported by approach spans on both sides. To safeguard this central pivot pier and swing span from potential collisions with river traffic, a wooden pile fender was installed.

On April 14, 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s funeral train traversed this bridge, attracting large crowds who gathered to witness its solemn passage.

Following acquisition of Pennsylvania Railroad assets in 1976, Conrail abandoned this bridge and left it in a permanently open position. Ownership changed hands in 1987 when an unidentified party purchased it. For many years thereafter, the structure remained unused and gradually fell into disrepair.

In 2012, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter introduced plans to rehabilitate the bridge as part of the Schuylkill River Trail, aiming to convert it into a bicycle path. Ownership transferred from Conrail and CSX to the City of Philadelphia in 2017. The city then initiated a $13 million project intended to replace the existing truss with a new structure designed for pedestrian and bicycle use.

On August 23, 2018, demolition of the bridge’s truss and superstructure took place; however, pilings remain intact to serve as foundations for the forthcoming bike-pedestrian bridge. Despite some delays, completion is anticipated by mid-2025.

Grays Ferry Avenue Bridge (1976–present)

In 1976, the Pennsylvania State Highway Agency constructed a new highway bridge to replace the 1901 structure. This replacement bridge was positioned between the former road bridge and the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore (PW&B) railroad bridge.

The current structure is a steel girder bridge that facilitates Grays Ferry Avenue’s crossing over both the river and the Northeast Corridor main rail line. It accommodates four lanes of vehicular traffic alongside two sidewalks for pedestrians. Although it incorporates painted bike lanes without physical buffers, a 2012 report by the City of Philadelphia highlighted that cyclists often find these lanes uncomfortable due to nearby vehicle speeds and accumulated debris.

By 2007, PennDOT reported an average daily traffic count nearing 30,000 vehicles on this bridge.

Toward the end of 2018, PennDOT launched a $13.3 million rehabilitation project scheduled over two years. The design was prepared by Modjeski and Masters, with Buckley & Company handling construction and TRC Solutions overseeing project management. The renovation scope includes structural repairs, replacement of expansion joints, resurfacing of the deck, and milling and repaving of approaches along Grays Ferry Avenue from 48th Street to 35th Street. Furthermore, a new 10-foot-wide barrier-separated lane for both cyclists and pedestrians is being added on the eastbound side of the bridge.

See also

• List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Pennsylvania
• List of crossings of the Schuylkill River
• The Woodlands Cemetery

External links

• Letter from Capt. Richard Delafield, U.S. Engineer Corps, to Matthew Newkirk, president of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Rail Road Company, regarding a rail bridge over the Schuylkill at Gray's Ferry (1837).
• Reviving Schuylkill: Eight Miles From the Dam to Ft. Mifflin
• "The River As It Was, The River As It Is, The River As It Should Be" by John Frederick Lewis, City Parks Association, Philadelphia, 1924.
  • Three 1924 photos from Gray's Ferry Bridge north to Mill Creek and The Woodlands: Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3
  • 1924 photo labeled "East Bank of the Schuylkill at Gray's Ferry Where Citizens Met Washington on His Way to His Inauguration."
  • 1924 photo labeled "Looking down the River, East Bank, Below Gray's Ferry Where Citizens Greeted Washington."
  • 1924 photo labeled "West Bank of the River, South of Gray's Ferry Bridge, Open Sewers and Filth Replacing Beauty."
• "Mirror of the City": historical images
• 1925 aerial photo of bridges and area
• 1928 aerial photo
• 1936 aerial photo showing Grays Ferry Bridge and PW&B No. 1
• 1956 drawing of proposed Gray's Ferry Avenue Bridge