New York Roads - Wurts St., Kingston-Port Ewen Suspension Bridge
Kingston-Port Ewen Suspension Bridge Secret NY 984D and old US 9W
Two views from Rondout Landing on the namesake Creek at the bottom of Broadway in Kingston. The bridge opened in 1921, completing the route of what became the first iteration of US 9W until the new bridge took it away in 1978. Originally, this bridge did not land in Kingston but rather Rondout, which was since absorbed into the city.
The entrance to the bridge from Wurts St. in Kingston, which is why it's also known as the Wurts St. Bridge. Obviously the bridge's weight limit has degraded steadily over the years. When it finally is closed, the question will be whether to replace it or rebuild Rondout. The steel frames by each side hold the beginning of skinny wires that can be used as handrails to walk the bridge cables for repairs.
Driving south toward Port Ewen. All that rust on the cables, structural members, and everywhere else is not very confidence-inspiring. The bridge could use a new coat of paint and some new signs, provided NYSDOT expects this bridge to last another 10 years.
Click the video to drive northbound across the bridge into Kingston, then pause at the end for some details. Gee, that steel looks like it could last 5, 6 weeks at least! I've seen hastily put-together reference markers before, but never with a stencil. NY 984D ends here with the bridge, extending south on former US 9W to meet the current route.
A quick peek westward on W. Pierpont St. in Kingston reveals a pair of very old signs and someone's version of an elfin paradise. Good luck with the resale.
St. Peter's Church on the corner of Wurts and W. Pierpont. Somewhat detracting from the churchscape is the strange sculpture in front that looks vaguely like a chastity belt in the Beetlejuice universe.
St. Mark's African Methodist Church is decidedly less ornate but instead of child-unfriendly hard plastic, it sports an embossed sign. Better.
Walking down W. Pierpont St. eastward and coming to St. Peter's auditorium. Given the cross on top, that was probably always its function.
A respectable older neighborhood on Adams St. to the north. Why did I bring you a block east of Wurts St.?
Here is the remains of W. Pierpont St. down the hill to Broadway. It's a perfectly functional bluestone sidewalk, but the old cobblestone road was judged too steep for modern traffic and allowed to return to nature. It was even cut off below the one driveway on the north side, which still crosses the sidewalk as you see in the penultimate photo. I think the street needs a good mow.
Looking up at the back of the auditorium, towering formidably over Broadway. It would take some kind of emergency to get anyone to use those stairs.
