PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A 19th century bridge, built for a long-defunct West Fairmount Park trolley line, now a recreational trail, is having some restoration work done. Officials say a detour will be in place for about two more weeks.
The Skew Arch Bridge, originally known as the Old Falls Road Trolley Bridge, was built in the late 1800s for the Fairmount Park Transit Company’s trolley line, which opened in 1897. The line was in use for 49 years, circling West Fairmount Park until 1946.
After a long period of disuse, the Trolley Trail was developed between 2017 and 2021 as a multi-use, soft surface, recreational course for hikers, runners, bikers and people on horseback. The trail, about 4 miles long and incorporating some of the infrastructure of the old trolley line, is intended as a gateway to explore the nature and rich history of the park.
The trail is temporarily closed off where the bridge crosses over it. There is scaffolding set up at the site, where work is being done inside the tunnel formed by the 32-foot-long, 6-foot-wide bridge.
While the Fairmount Park Conservancy continues its work, detour signs will be in place for another couple of weeks, said Kelly Quimby, a conservation technician.
“We only closed off the section directly under the bridge while we’re working — just for our safety and for the safety of people using the trail,” said Quimby. “But there is a detour set up, so you can still get around to get where you are going and you can still see the bridge and marvel at its magnificence.”
The skew arch construction method allows an arch bridge to span a crossroad or other obstacle at something other than a 90-degree angle. The slanted arch bridge is constructed of 14 individual ribs made of brick, set at a 30-degree skew.
“Fairmount Park Conservatory has several different departments working here. We have our facilities department, which is doing graffiti removal. The conservation team is doing the masonry work,” said Quimby, including relaying loose, damaged and missing stones. “And then the volunteer department is also here doing work on the bridge, removing the invasives and also just keeping the bridge clear of unwanted vegetation.”