Category: Bridge

West Shore Bypass New Exchanges – 1963

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On this day in the Reading Eagle – 1963

West Shore Bypass
West Shore Bypass

Traffic is rolling over the newly opened West Shore Bypass. Several motorists commented on the time saved in using the new road. One reported reaching the center of Reading from the bypass junction at the Philadelphia Pike in seven minutes, a saving of about 13 minutes. The ramps of the interchange at Lancaster avenue are shown at the bottom of the photo above and the cloverleaf at the western end of the Penn Street Bridge is shown at the top.… Read Full Article

On this Day – February 21st 1977

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Warren St. Bypass

100 Block of Penn Street is Demolished

Buildings along the north side of the 100 block of Penn Street, next to the Penn Street Bridge, are being demolished. The properties are being razed by Fred E. Erb, Pequea, Lancaster County, under a contract with the Reading Redevelopment Authority (RRA). The area is part of the RRA’s Schuykill Urban Renewal Project – Eagle Photos

Power for Wagon Works

Metropolitan Edison Co.… Read Full Article

Van Reed Paper Mill & Covered Bridge

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Paper Mill Covered Bridge

The Van Reed Covered Bridge

The area around the mouth of the Cacoosing Creek into the Tulpehocken Creek was settled and industrialized by the Van Reed Family. They were dutch immigrants who came to America around 1750 and settled around this creek in the early 1800s. Over the course of the 19th century the family owned at least three paper mills, a wool mill a saw mill and a union canal warehouse all along the Tulpehocken & Cacoosing Creeks.… Read Full Article

Penn Street Bridge History

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Penn Street Bridge History
Penn Street Bridge History

This photograph of Reading, Pennsylvania was taken around the turn of the 20th century from Leinbach’s Hill in West Reading. Pictured in the foreground is the third Penn Street Bridge crossing the Schuylkill River. Across the bridge and to the left is the Pennsylvania Railroad station. A large big portion of Leinbach’s Hill, including the area the photographer was standing while taking this photo was removed when the cloverleaf on/off ramps were constructed for the West Shore Bypass in 1962.… Read Full Article

Wertz’s Red Covered Bridge

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Wertz's Red Covered Bridge

Wertz’s Red Covered Bridge is one of only 5 original covered bridge structures left standing in Berks County. At one time there were quite a few over the Tulpehocken Creek in various locations along its span, including one slightly upstream near the old Paper Mill. Wertz’s Covered Bridge was built in 1867 and spans an impressive 204 feet across the Tulpehocken Creek which makes it the longest single-span covered bridge in the state of Pennsylvania.… Read Full Article

BERKS NOSTALGIA