Walt Whitman Bridge

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Walt Whitman Bridge
Official name	Walt Whitman Bridge
Carries	7 lanes of I-76 and 2 sidewalks
Crosses	Delaware River
Locale	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Gloucester City, New Jersey
Maintained by	Delaware River Port Authority of Pennsylvania and New Jersey
ID number	4500010
Design	steel suspension bridge
Longest span	609.6 meters (2,000 feet)
Total length	3,651.81 meters (11,981 feet)
Width	28.04 meters (92 feet)
Clearance below	45.72 meters (150 feet)
Opening date	May 16, 1957
Toll	$3.00 (westbound) (E-ZPass)
Maps and aerial photos Street map from Google Maps or Yahoo! Maps Topographic map from TopoZone Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA Satellite image from Google Maps or Microsoft Virtual Earth

Philadelphia Portal

The Walt Whitman Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Delaware River from Philadelphia to Gloucester City, New Jersey. Named after the poet Walt Whitman, who resided in nearby Camden toward the end of his life, the Walt Whitman Bridge is one of the larger bridges on the east coast of the United States. The bridge is owned and operated by the Delaware River Port Authority.

Construction on the bridge began in 1953, and it opened to traffic on May 16, 1957. The bridge has a total length of 11,981 feet (3,651 meters), and a main span of 2,000 feet (610 meters). The bridge has seven lanes, three in each direction and a center lane that is shifted variably (via a zipper barrier) to accommodate heavy traffic.

The bridge is a part of Interstate 76 (which, between the river and the South Philadelphia interchange at Passyunk Avenue, is known as the \”Walt Whitman Expressway\”). Along with the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, Betsy Ross Bridge and Commodore Barry Bridge, the Walt Whitman Bridge is one of four freeway-standard bridges connecting the Philadelphia area with southern New Jersey.

[edit] Tolls

A $3.00 one-way toll is charged entering Pennsylvania for passenger vehicles (less than 7,000 lbs gross vehicle weight). An $18 credit will be given on a per tag basis for any DRPA-issued E-ZPass tag that crosses one of the four DRPA bridges 18 times in a calendar month. Trucks, Commercial vehicles, mobile homes and recreation vehicles (weighing at least 7,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight), pay $4.50 cash per axle. Seniors aged 65 and over can use a ticket program to pay $1.00 per trip (not integrated with E-ZPass).[1]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Delaware River Port Authority site
• Walt Whitman Bridge historic overview (phillyroads.com)

Gloucester County History and Genealogy

HISTORY – CONFLICTING STORIES:
Depending on which history you read [both in print and on the internet], each contains a slightly different version regarding the origin of Fort Nassau, its history, and its location.

According to the history of Westville, found on their web site [ my personal comments are highlighted in red] \” After Cornelius Mey established the first white settlement on Burlington Island, he established Fort Nassau in 1623. The site of Fort Nassau has been a subject of much controversy, the Hon. Franit H. Stewart, president of the Gloucester County Historical Society has set the site as back of what is now Brooklawn, at the mouth of Timber Creek, just west of where Big Timber Creek, Little Timber Creek and the Delaware join. Records show that the Dutch trading post was \”about fifteen leagues up the river on the eastern shore. The Dutch had built two strongholds or forts, largest about 16 miles up the river on the eastern shore, called Nassau\”. [There are inconsistencies in the measurements indicated here–is it 15 leagues or 16 miles? Did they mean to say furlongs instead? 15 furlongs = approximately 2 current miles, i.e. 15 x 0.125. The original Dutch navigators would not have used the term league.] In 1651, Peter Loursenson, a Dutch sailor sent to the Delaware, commented that Fort Nassau consisted of a trading house with ten or 12 servants belonging to It. Records further show that in 164j Nassau was occupied by 20 men and was used by the Dutch until 1651. In 1651, Fort Nassau was abandoned. Its cannon and other weapons were installed at Fort Casisnir (at New Castle). Its last trading commissioner Andries Hudde, served in the same capacity in the new fort. The abandoned fort remained a landmark for many years. In 1750, Acrelius, pastor of the Old Swede Church, Philadelphia, wrote in his diary, \”Nassau is still standing two and a half miles north of Manias Hook (Hantaes hoeck).\” [note the spelling here is incorrect, should be Manta\’s Hook [Mantaes Hoeck].

According to \”Accessible Archives: \”it appears that the sailors and soldiers were stationed at a little fort which was hurriedly built for their protection at a spot which the natives called \”Tekaacho\” near Gloucester Point, immediately opposite the lower part of the city of Philadelphia. This was Fort Nassau, the first building known to have been erected by civilized men on the shores of the Delaware. Its exact site cannot now be pointed out, but it was supposed to be upon the north branch of Timber Creek or as the Dutch called it \”Timmer Kill,\” (21*) then called \”Sapackon.\” It was built close to the point of rocks, its southern rampart being within a few feet of the creek.(22*) The year in which the fort was built is disputed, but it is probable that its construction was undertaken about 1623, which was doubtless also the time of the settlement near the site of Trenton. The men and women of the Walloons at this isolated station grew homesick, and within a year or so returned to Manhattan. The fort too was abandoned after one or two years of occupations though it was irregularly occupied by a few soldiers for short periods, down to 1642 when it was continuously garrisoned until 1650 or 1651 when the Dutch themselves destroyed it, because it was too high up the river and too far from the chief theatre of their activities to serve any valuable purpose. It appears to have been occasionally used as a lodging place by the Indians, probably at such times as they expected trading vessels to arrive which was at least once a year, and De Vries found it thus tenanted by the savages when he visited it in 1633.\”
[(21*) On the map in Campanius’ work it is designated as being between the two branches of Timber Creek.
(22*) Various discoveries and relics have been made at different times in digging at the site of the fort. In 1745 a Spanish privateer threatened to land on the Delaware, and fears being entertained that they would attack Wilmington, attempts were made to place the old fort in repair. In digging the ground for that purpose, they found several pieces of money, with Queen Christina’s stamp upon it. On the 31st of March, 1755, on taking up by chance some pieces of the walls, there were found many cannon balls, granadoes, and other similar things, which had been kept carefully concealed since the surrender of the fort by Rising. Five pieces of cannon (according to Acrelius) wore kept mounted there previously, as at the treaty of Aix la Chapelle, in 1646, an English salute was fired from them, in honor of the Governor, who was going to meet the Legislature at New Castle.]

According to Area History: Contents of Vol I, Advertisement, & General Introductory History – Watson\’s Annals of Philadelphia And Pennsylvania, 1857, front section:
\”About that time, the States General appear to have enlarged their schemes
of profit from the country, by an attempt at colonization; for they grant,
in the year 1621, their patent \”for the country of the Nieu Nederland, to
the privileged West India Company\”. From this time the Dutch began to
progress southwardly over the lands bordering on both sides of the Delaware,
which they then called the Zuydt or South river, in contradistinction to
their Noords or North river. To protect their settlers, they built in 1623,
their first fort on the Delaware, and probably made their first village, at
the place since known as Gloucester point, in New Jersey, at a little
distance below the present Philadelphia. This was of course the proper
\”Ancient Dominion\”, to us ! The fortification was called \”Nassau\”. The
place was known to the Indians by the name of Arwanus [also as Tekaacho] and
by the ancient Philadelphians by the less poetical name of Pine point.\Ӡ5

History
The idea of making Gloucester a parish took shape in 1848, when a petition was presented to Bishop Kenrick of Philadelphia and the Rev. E.Q.S. Waldron was appointed.

Mass was first said in a private house, but the accommodations soon proved too small for the growing congregation. The superintendent of the school hall, though a non-Catholic, gave the use of the hall to Father Waldron, who for a time said Mass there every Sunday. Bigotry and ignorance soon deprived the little flock of this privilege.

In 1849, a Protestant, a Mr. Robb, donated the ground for a church. The pastor and people immediately made every effort to erect a suitable edifice. The first and second corner stones were stolen, but the third, laid by Father Matthew, famous Irish temperance priest, was buried 10 feet underground. The new church was finally erected and had a seating capacity of 400.

The Rev. Thomas J. McCormack was appointed pastor in the spring of 1886, and soon found there was more work to be done as the number of Catholics increased with the growth of the town.

In the autumn of 1886, he secured 12 lots bounded by Somerset, Atlantic, and Monmouth Streets.

The present parochial residence was built at the cost of $14,000. In March 1888, Father McCormack moved in to the rectory. The lots and rectory were paid for, a few old debts were wiped out, and on March 24th, 1888 ground was broken for the church.

On July 15th, Bishop O\’Farrell laid the corner stone. The church was brought to the completion without delay, and dedicated on November 24th, 1889. The cost of the structure was $65,000. In the spring of 1893, the last dollar of debt on St. Mary\’s property was paid.

St. Mary\’s Church, one of the most beautiful churches in New Jersey, is built of hard sandstone of a bluish gray color. The stone trimmings are tool-dressed and the front has a fine stone gable cross. The style of architecture is early Gothic.

The church is 140 feet in length by 70 feet in width; adding to the beauty of the structure is a tower and spire, together 160 feet in height.

The chimes were purchased from the McShane Bell Foundry, Baltimore, Md. They are composed of 10 bells, the largest 3,085 pounds and the weights gradually decreasing to the smallest, which weighs about 200 pounds. The total weight of all the bells, exclusive of the frames and attachments, is 10,673 pounds. The entire value, including delivery and putting in the tower was $3,200.

The Playing Stand is oak. It is almost square, having 10 levers on brass hinges, a silver plate on each lever bearing the letter denoting the tone of each respective Bell, and above the levers is a music rack.

The chimes were of great importance to the parish as the people pledged what was then a great deal of money from their weekly earnings. The Dedication of the Bells was held on Sunday, November, 1891, beginning at 10:00 a.m. and continued well into the evening.

The following names are engraved on each Bell: St. Mary, St. Joseph, St. Thomas, St. Micheal, St. Patrick, St. Dominic, St. Alphonsus, St. Ignatius, St. Benedict and St. Vincent de Paul.

The Stations of the Cross were first requisitioned March 1909 from Germany and installed January 1911, at which time the remaining balance of $2,100 was paid. The total cost was $9,600.

BAKEY, JACQUELINE MARIE
Age 25, died suddenly on February 14, 2007. Born in Stratford, Jackie has lived in Gloucester City all her life.
She is survived by her loving parents George and Carol Bakey of Gloucester City, NJ; her fiance Paul Langtry of Hills-borough, NJ; brothers George, James and David all at home and sisters Kimberly Ann of Woodbury, NJ and Elizabeth Rose at home. She is also survived by her devoted grandmother Patricia Bakey of Collingswood, NJ and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Jackie was a graduate of Gloucester City High Class of 2000 where she was a record holding member of their Cross Country team and was currently pursuing a career in nursing. She was an avid basketball fan and coached St. Theresa\’s grammar school in Runnemede. She was a part of their Medallion after-school program and loved little children.
Viewing Monday evening 7 to 9pm in St. Mary\’s RC Church, 426 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Mass of Christian Burial Tuesday morning 11am. Interment New St. Mary\’s Cemetery, Bellmawr, NJ. In lieu of flowers contributions in her memory may be made to the Jacqueline M. Bakey Memorial Fund c/o Rita Christensen P. O. Box 7, Voorhees, NJ 08043. Arr. by the SCHETTER FUNERAL HOME, of Cherry Hill, NJ.

WHEN EAST MEETS WEST

COMMENTARY BY HANK F. MILLER JR.

To: Headhunters R Us.

Subject: Career alternatives,Have skills, might want to work.

Dear Headhunters:

Since you contacted me,I have been doing some serious thinking
about what I would like to do if I didn\’t do what I do now.
Right off,I\’d have to say that I could be anything I wanted,my first
choice would be poet laureate.This has been my dream job ever since I
first heard the words \”roses are red,violets are blue.\”

You can ask people who know me,and they\’ll tell you I\’m really good at
rhyming stuff.You know,like somebody will say something like car,and
right away I\’ll come back with bar.
Or we\’ll be in a market, and the word orange will be mentioned, and
I\’ll say…well, you get the picture.

If all the poet laureate jobs are taken,another thing I wouldn\’t mind
being a mentor.I could get an office downtown, and people could come in
to see me,and I would tell them what\’s wrong with them and what they
should do with their lives.
Maybe I could even work with my wife,who\’s really,really good at
this.But just in case there are no openinge in mentoring or poet
laueateing,I have put together a wish list of additional jobs I
wouldn\’t mind trying.

In order,they are:

.Sidekick.
.Friend of the Court.
.Major Player.
.Senior Fellow.
.Orical.
.Professor Emeritus.
.Favorite Son.
.Patron of the Arts.
. Matinee Idol.
.Confidant.
.Raconteur.
.Go-Between.

I really have to admit that the one thing you were right about is that
being a teacher does give you the skills to work in other
occupations.In fact,once I started thinking about it, I was really
surprised by how many other fields are open to someone like me.

I mean there\’s.

.Pundent.
.Shadowowy Figure.
.Spokesperson.
.Assassin.
.Wretch.
.Material Witness.
.Moral Authority.
.Insider. Analyst.
.Sycophant.
.Face in the Crowd.
.Informed Source.
.Special Interest.
.Operative.
.Crowd Pleaser.

(Just ask me about one).

Of course,in preparing these lists,I did come across several jobs that
I\’m certainly qualified for but that just hold no appeal for me.

They include:

.Gluton for Punishment.
.Player to be named.
.Gofer.
.Poop-Bah.
.Rubber.Stamp.
.Hostage.

Oh,and definitely put me down as a no for anything in the area of
Whipping Boy or Sacrificial Lamb. Granted,the money and bennies are
goods and everything ,but there just doesn\’t seem to be much of an
upside to this kind of work.

Warm Regards From Kitakyushu City ,Japan

JOINER, AMERINDA D.
on February 16, 2007, (nee Anzide) age 72, of Pennsauken NJ formerly of Gloucester City. Beloved mother of James Jr. of NY, Joseph of Gloucester, Jaime Matthews of Pennsauken and John of Pitman. Dear sister of Frederick Anzide of Sewell and James Anzide of Turnersville and loving grandmother of Michael, Sean, Ryan, John and Margaret.
Relatives and friends of the family are kindly invited to attend her Memorial Visitation Monday 2-3 PM at the FUNERAL HOME OF INGLESBY & SONS, 2426 Cove Rd., Pennsauken, NJ 08109. Service 3 PM. Cremation Private. In lieu of flowers donations to Alzheimer\’s Association Greater New Jersey Chapter, 400 Morris Avenue Suite 251, Denville, NJ, 07834. Directions, condolences and expressions of sympathy at
www.inglesbyfuneral
home.com

PENTE, CHARLES J.
On Feb. 15, 2007, Charles J. age 74 of Audubon passed away at Vitas Hospice in Philadelphia.
Born in Camden, Charles had been a resident of the Fairview section before moving to Audubon 37 years ago. A Veteran of the US Army, Charles was a longtime member of the I.C.A.C. Club of Gloucester City formerly of Fairview. He was also an avid sports fan umpiring for both Morgan Village and Audubon Little Leagues.
He is the beloved husband of Marie (nee Trout). He is the devoted father of Michael (Paula) Pente of Haddon Township and Helen (Bob) Drebes of Audubon. He is the loving grandfather of Nicole, Michael Jr., Elizabeth and Richard. He is also survived by his two brothers Phillip Pente of Fairview and James Pente of Mt. Laurel as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to his viewing Monday evening from 7:00 to 9:00 PM and again Tuesday morning from 8:30 – 9:30 AM at the HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, 9 White Horse Pike (at Kings Hwy.), Haddon Heights. His Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday 10:00 AM at St. Rose of Lima RC Church, 4th Avenue and Kings Hwy., Haddon Heights.
Interment New St. Mary\’s Cemetery, Bellmawr. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to Vitas Hospice, 1740 Walton Road, Suite 100, Blue Bell, PA 19422. www.healeyfuneralhomes.com

THE MESSENGER PRESS -The New Egypt High School girls\’ basketball team will play the first playoff game in its history when it travels to face Gloucester City on Tuesday, Feb. 27.
New Egypt earned the ninth seed and Gloucester City is seeded eighth. The winner of that game will play top-seeded Wildwood in the South Jersey Group I field.
Following action this past week, New Egypt is 11-12 on the season.
Palmyra jumped out with a fantastic first quarter last Thursday and went on to win the game, 68-41. New Egypt actually outscored Palmyra in the second (16-15) and fourth (14-5) quarters, but was in a 25-10 hole after the first eight minutes.
Stephanie Partyka scored 16 points in the loss. Rounding out the scoring, Cindy Murray scored 10 points, Kelly Cameron and Jenn Search 5 points each, Robynn Frank 3 points and Emily Straniero 2 points.
New Egypt dipped under .500 this past Saturday as it lost to Hightstown, 46-27. This game was part of a challenge series between teams in the Colonial Valley and Burlington Scholastic League.
Frank scored 9 points, Partyka 6 points and Cameron 5 in the setback.

At 8:00AM this morning (Friday) Monmouth Street, Johnson Blvd., and probably all other streets in Gloucester City were still covered with ice.

As we all know Monmouth Street is a main roadway for our Fire Department and Rescue/Ambulance Service.

With today\’s frequent and multimulti-day forecasting, the City\’s salt trucks should have been prepared and out on the streets Tuesday night and all day Wednesday.

I saw trucks driving around on Wednesday of this week, but no staff members were putting any salt down or removing any ice. If our present Streets Department employees are not willing to accept their responsibilities and carry out their job descriptions, they should be dismissed for insubordination.

Hire new staff members that will be thankful to have such a job and will execute their responsibilities in keeping our streets clear and safe!

Here it is Friday evening and many cars in our City are still iced in at the curb. With the sun shining again and the temperature rising, get the job done! Clear our streets . If you don\’t want to work hand in your resignation.

signed STILL ICED IN!

CORCORAN
Samuel F. \”Bud\”

On February 16, 2007. Age 80. Of Gloucester City. Surrounded by his devoted family. Loving and caring husband of 52 years to Mariann J. (nee Hill). Beloved father of Janice Judge and her husband Robert of Cherry Hill and Kevin J. Corcoran and his wife Luanne of Mullica Hill. Dear Grandfather of Jeffrey, Jennifer, Steven and Nicole. Loving Brother-In-Law of Joan Corcoran of Cape May and Frank Williams of Williamstown. Survived by many nieces and nephews. Samuel was known to many as \”Bud\” and was a proud U.S. Army Veteran serving our country in World War II and the Korean Conflict. He worked 32 years at General Electric as a logistics specialist for the Missile and Space Program and worked in Philadelphia, PA. Sam was a longtime resident of Gloucester City. He was a devoted and faithful parishioner of Saint Mary’s R.C. Church in Gloucester City and volunteered for many years as a bingo volunteer for the Church. Sam was a prior member of the Gloucester City Knights of Columbus Council # 674. He had a real passion and love for the Philadelphia Phillies Baseball Team. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend his viewing on Tuesday Evening from 4:15 to 7:15 pm at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City (at Brown Street) Gloucester City. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 8 pm Tuesday Evening at Saint Mary’s R.C. Church: 426 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Prayers of Committal and Entombment New Saint Mary’s Mausoleum, Bellmawr. There will be no morning viewing. Please meet at the McCann-Healey Funeral Home promptly at 11 am, Wednesday morning on Monmouth and Brown Streets. There will be a funeral procession to the Mausoleum. Family strongly requests no flowers for the viewing. Memorial Donations please be made in Samuel’s memory to Saint Mary’s R.C. Church: at the address listed above or Fox Chase Cancer Society: 333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111. Attn: C-223. Please write in the memo of the check Samuel F. Corcoran. Expressions of sympathy can be e-mailed to the family through our funeral home website www.mccannhealey.com under online obituaries of Samuel F. Corcoran.