Madison Bridge
(Kiem Street Bridge)
NBI Information
Location
State: Pennsylvania
County: Montgomery County
Feature Carried: Keim Street
Feature Crossed: Schuylkill River
Latitude, Longitude: 40.2343,-75.6345
Toll: On free road
Maintenance Responsibility: County Highway Agency
Structure Open, Posted, or Closed to Traffic: Bridge closed to all traffic
History
Year Built: 1935
Historical Significance: Bridge is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
Year Reconstructed: None
Date Closed: October 2010
Picture Date: December 11, 2022
Geometry
Lanes on Structure: 2
Lanes under Structure: 0
Skew: 0 degrees
Number of Main Spans: 8
Main Structure Type: Thru Truss
Main Structure Material: Steel
Number of Approach Spans: 0
Approach Structure Type: None
Approach Structure Material: None
Condition
Inspection Date: August 2021
Deck Condition: Poor
Superstructure Condition: Imminent Failure
Substructure Condition: Poor
Channel Condition: Poor
Culvert: Not Applicable
NBI Year: 2023
Bridge Information
The Madison Bridge, also called the Kiem Street Bridge, is an eight span rivet connected Warren Pony Truss Bridge, composed of rolled sections. The substructure is constructed from stone piers and abutments with concrete caps. The bridge was built in 1935, and is the longest surviving multi-span Warren Pony Truss in Pennsylvania.
This bridge retains excellent historic integrity with no major alterations to the truss and it still has the original cantilevered sidewalk with the original railing. However, the bridge was closed to traffic in October of 2010 due to a structurally deficient rating during a routine inspection.
There have been plans to replace this bridge, both with and without preserving the original structure. There was originally a plan to replace the bridge with a five-span concrete beam structure which would include two 11-foot traffic lanes, two 4-foot shoulders and a 6-foot-wide sidewalk. However, the discussion of funding the design has dragged for years, which has delayed the project. The most recent plans show design starting in 2023 and construction finishing in 2027.
References
Historic Bridges: https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=pennsylvania/keim/
DVRPC: https://www.dvrpc.org/tip/pa/map/83742?lat=40.06391944331955&lng=-75.26315615398758&z=8.443930786668721
Daily Local News: https://www.dailylocal.com/2019/05/24/17m-keim-street-bridge-plans-unveiled/
