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Swinging Bridge -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Constructed circa 1900, the Swinging Bridge over the Brandywine Creek is listed on the National Historic Register. The bridge provides a convenient crossing point for mounted police and pedestrian visitors to Wilmington, Delaware's Brandywine Park. When New Castle County retained Duffield Associates to perform a routine maintenance evaluation, our engineers identified serious structural deficiencies and recommended closing the bridge until corrective measures could be implemented. Duffield Associates' sensitive rehabilitation of the Swinging Bridge was awarded honors at the Consulting Engineers Council of Delaware's Engineering Excellence Competition. Among the challenges of restoring a century-old pedestrian bridge are working without the guidance of original construction documents, preserving the historic character of the structure, and developing a design that meets modern requirements. Rather than simply replacing damaged and deteriorating parts, Duffield Associates sought to retain the original structural elements. Elements that were judged to be serviceable were specially cleaned and then protected from further deterioration. When this method was impossible, the engineering team designed replications of the originals. This approach satisfied both historical presentation and future maintenance concerns. Duffield Associates' restoration of the Swinging Bridge represents
the seamless integration of historical preservation efforts with
modern technology. In addition to the accolades earned by this project
from the engineering community, New Castle County has received an
overwhelmingly positive response from its citizens. The success
of this project has served as a catalyst for subsequent improvements
throughout Brandywine Park. |
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Georgetown,
DE
Philadelphia, PA Carlisle,
PA Stone
Harbor, NJ North
East , MD