Glimmer Glass Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Glimmer Glass Bridge |
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The bridge as seen from the Brielle side
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| Carries | Motor vehicles (cars only) Bicycles and pedestrians |
| Crosses | Glimmer Glass Creek |
| Locale | Manasquan, New Jersey and Brielle, New Jersey |
| Official name | Brielle Road Bridge over the Glimmer Glass (W-9) |
| Other name(s) | Brielle Road Bridge W-9 |
| Named for | Glimmer Glass Creek |
| Owner | County of Monmouth |
| Maintained by | Monmouth County Department of Public Works and Engineering |
| NBI | 13000W9 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Lift bascule |
| Material | Steel, wrought iron, wood |
| Total length | 278.9 ft (85.0 m) |
| Width | 20 ft (6.1 m) |
| Height | 14.1 ft (4.3 m) |
| Longest span | 34.1 ft (10.4 m) |
| Clearance below | 6.9 ft (2.1 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | August 13, 1938 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 6,846 (2013) |
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Brielle Road Bridge over the Glimmer Glass
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 Location in Monmouth County, New Jersey
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| Built | 1938 |
| Architectural style | Lift bascule bridge |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000336 |
| Significant dates | |
| Designated | April 25, 2008 |
The Glimmer Glass Bridge is a special bridge in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. It carries cars, bikes, and people over the Glimmer Glass, which is a tidal inlet connected to the Manasquan River. This bridge connects the towns of Manasquan and Brielle. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2008 because of its unique design and history.
Contents
Bridge History and Design
The Glimmer Glass Bridge was built in 1938. It is a type of bridge called a cable lift bascule bridge. A bascule bridge is a movable bridge that has a part that opens upwards to let boats pass underneath.
Unique Rolling Counterweight System
What makes the Glimmer Glass Bridge special is its "rolling counterweight" design. This system uses heavy weights that roll along a curved track. As the weights move, they help lift or lower the bridge's movable section. This design was quite advanced for its time.
The idea behind this design is clever: the effort needed to lift the bridge is balanced by the energy released as the counterweights fall. Cables connect the bridge's movable end to these heavy, round counterweights. These cables go over a tower with a curved track. When the counterweights roll along this track, the bridge either goes up or down. This specific type of rolling counterweight bridge is the only one of its kind from the late 1800s in New Jersey, and possibly in the entire eastern United States.
Bridge Changes Over Time
Even though the bridge was built a long time ago, its original design has been kept. Parts of the bridge have been rebuilt over the years. For example, the wooden tower and track were redone in 1957 and 1971. A new steel deck was put in around 1962. These changes helped keep the bridge working in its original way.
Bridge and Community
The Glimmer Glass Bridge is located in a salt marsh area. It connects the historic shore towns of Manasquan and Brielle. It helps people travel on Brielle Road over the Glimmer Glass Creek. This area used to have many small vacation homes, but now new houses have been built.
Bridge Closures and Repairs
The Glimmer Glass Bridge has faced challenges and needed repairs over the years.
2014 Damage and Repairs
In August 2014, the bridge had to close because it was badly damaged. It seemed an overweight truck had crossed it, even though the bridge had a weight limit of only three tons. At first, people thought repairs would be quick, but a closer look showed more serious damage due to the bridge's age.
A company was hired to fix the bridge. They had to replace old wooden parts and support structures. Replacing the entire bridge would have cost a lot of money, so repairing it was the chosen plan. Despite very cold weather and storms, the repairs were finished much faster than expected. The bridge reopened on March 13, 2015.
Ongoing Concerns and Future Plans
Even after repairs, some officials worry about the bridge's safety and usefulness. Its three-ton weight limit means that large emergency vehicles cannot use it. This is a problem, especially when Main Street in Manasquan floods, leaving only one other road for emergency access to the beachfront.
However, many local residents want to keep the historic bridge. They formed a group called the "Committee to Save the Glimmer Glass Bridge." They believe the bridge is an important part of the community's history and that fixing it is much cheaper than building a new one.
Recent Mechanical Issues
The bridge has also had problems with its moving parts. A gearbox and motor, which are about 50 years old, stopped working. Finding a company to fix these old parts has been difficult.
- The county had to send the broken gearbox and motor to a special company to be examined and repaired.
- Officials are also looking into whether a newer type of gearbox could be used. If the old one is fixed, having a backup could prevent long closures in the future.
- The pulleys, which are the only original parts left on the bridge, also need to be replaced.
- Because the bridge is a historic landmark, any repair work needs approval from state and national historic offices, which can cause delays.
Local officials understand that these closures are inconvenient for the public and can affect safety. They are working to resolve the issues.
