The new “let” date for the Sheepford Road Bridge Rehabilitation Project is January 2025. Currently we are in the Section 106 process with a meeting for consulting parties scheduled for March 28, 2024.
Did you read about our latest award?
Pre-construction begins on the Sheepford Road Bridge!
Much has been happening down at the bridge!
In November, PennDOT completed an archaeological survey. Nothing was found that will stop or slow down construction.
In December, HRG Engineering began surveying the area around the bridge and completed 3D imaging that will be used in the project design.
WSHS receives Preservation Pennsylvania’s People Saving Places Award! Watch the video here!
August 11th was a busy day at the Sheepford Road Bridge. PennDOT, SHPO, York & Cumberland Counties and WSHS met at the bridge for an E&E Scoping meeting, to decide what will be done to rehabilitate the bridge.
The Sheepford Road Bridge crosses the Yellow Breeches Creek, connecting Fairview & Lower Allen Townships, and York and Cumberland Counties. The bridge is a single span, 114 foot long pin connected pratt thru truss bridge, built in 1887.
The Sheepford Road Bridge is historically and technologically significant due to its type and design using patented Phoenix columns. It was fabricated by the Phoenix Bridge Coompany located in Phoenixville Pennsylvania, and erected by their agents Dean & Westbrook . The Phoenix Bridge Company was one of the nations most important developers of metal truss bridge technology in the last half of the 19th century. Metal truss bridges were prefabricated by the Phoenix Bridge Company and Dean & Westbrook erected them on the site. Truss bridges with Phoenix column members were used widely by railroads through the mid 1880’S and for highway applications through the mid 1890’S. It is mostly the highway examples, such as the Sheepford Road Bridge, that have survived in small numbers in Pennsylvania.
The Phoenix column, patented in 1861 was one of the first successful attempts to substitute built up wrought iron sections for cast iron, and important advance in metal truss design. The column is a cylindar wrought iron tube made up at least four wrought iron channels that were riveted together. The channels proved to be quite strong and less costly than cast iron.
One of the most interesting things about the bridge is its connection to the Eiffel Tower. Gustav Eiffel visited the Philadelphia Centennial in 1876 and saw plans for the Centennial Tower, which was never built. The tower used Phoenix columns. Years later Eiffel gave credit to Phoenix Bridge Company engineer Samuel Reeves for concepts for the Eiffel Tower which was built in 1889. We have seen this documented in various places, including the website for the Phoenixville Foundry which is now an event space. https://www.phoenixvillefoundry.org/ In short, Phoenix Column bridges were a part of the inspiration for the Eiffel Tower. Phoenix columns were also used in the elevated subway system in NYC , Independence Hall in Philadelphia and the Washington Monument.
Historicbridges.org rates the Sheepford Road Bridge 9/10 in historical and technological significance. The 2017 PENNDOT Preservation Assessment Report lists the Preservation Priority as “Exceptional.” The bridge has recently been added to the Cumberland County Register of Historic Places, due to the efforts of Friends of Sheepford Road Bridge. It has been pre-approved for the National Register by the State Historic Preservation Office.
In 2019, Friends of Sheepford Road Bridge https://savesheepfordroadbridge.org/ formed with the goal to “SAVE OUR BRIDGE.” As a result of their year long effort, in October 2020 York & Cumberland Counties approved a motion to allow them until October 2022 to find a new owner and raise the funding required to restore the bridge.
Since then, Janice Lynx, founding member of Friends of Sheepford Road Bridge joined the Board of Directors of the WEST SHORE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. She is Chairperson of the Friends of Sheepford Road Bridge Committee, effectively merging the two organizations. In June 2021, she accepted the position of Executive Director.
In July of 2021, WSHS was contacted by Kirk Stoner, Director of Cumberland County Planning Commission regarding the PennDOT TASA Grant. After meeting it was decided that York County would apply for the grant with the stipulation that West Shore Historical Society would be come the new owners of the bridge upon completion of the restoration project. In April 2022, we were informed that the grant application was successful – 1.4 million to restore the Sheepford Road Bridge for bicycle/pedestrian use!
Contact Janice Lynx – janice@wshistoricalsociety.org