Press Releases

         

News - Archive

Released: 1/4/2021 

Team of Experts Perform Special Tasks to Preserve the Life of the Walt Whitman Bridge

The Walt Whitman Bridge weighs nearly 60,000 tons and is almost 12,000 feet in length and it takes a special team of experts to keep the iconic bridge clean and safe.

Those experts are the team of maintenance technicians with the Delaware River Port Authority.

The technicians utilize a special piece of equipment to not only clean the main span of the bridge, but to also visually inspect the bridge for any defects. The defects can include any potential loose bolts, damaged bearings, rotted steel, etc. While the workers are in the bucket equipment and over the Delaware River, a safety boat is dispatched to the area as a precaution.

In addition to the thorough inspection of the bridge, workers also wash down sections of the bridge with a high-powered pressure washer. Bird droppings and rock salt are the biggest causes of corrosion on the bridge.

The process, which typically occurs annually, takes approximately 8-10 weeks to complete.
The inspection and cleaning is one of the many ways DRPA employees work to prolong the life of the Walt Whitman Bridge.

 

---

[ Return to List ]