Sunday, May 3, 2015

The trolley bridge at Glen Echo Park

If you have ever gone to Glen Echo park you have probably noticed the old trolley bridge over Minnehaha creek.  It is the big metal bridge you see on your left as you cross the foot bridge.  This bridge has been abandoned for decades.  The bridge has been rehabilitated and a short section MacArthur Avenue Trail has now been re-routed over it
 The new trail over the bridge doesn't cover the full width of the bridge so you can see the original steel beams.

 Here is a look at the bridge from the Glen Echo Park side.

 This is the same bridge, from the same spot in early May, 2014.

 Here is how it looks below the bridge.  You can see the concrete and steel have gotten a fresh coat of paint.


 This is how the underside of the bridge looked in May of 2013.


Looking up at the bridge from Minnehaha Creek.

Last year at this time the bridge was totally overgrown.  It looks like construction started last July.

Update 2015-04-05:  In the comments, Brett Young pointed out that he has a set of pictures taken throughout the construction process.

2 comments:

  1. I think your photos are great. I've been waiting all winter for MD to open the bridge.
    Here are links to Photos I took of the construction.
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/jojopuppyfish/sets/72157645849570941/
    I am working on trying to restore the Foundry Branch Bridge next to Georgetown University and I am glad they restored this so we can show people these bridges can still be used

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  2. A few more things to add:
    I just found a photo of the trolley going over the Glen Echo Bridge
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/jojopuppyfish/17379362922/in/album-72157645849570941/
    Also, I believe they restored the bridge quite narrow because there is a crack in the base of the bridge. The bridge is safe for pedestrians, but if a trolley were to go over it, the crack would have needed repair and for this project, it would have cost too much to repair.

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