Have you ever…?

Have you ever walked on the Washington Crossing Bridge at night? I highly recommend it…  unless you have arachnophobia that is. Oh! The spiders!

As some of you may know, the original timber bridge, built in 1834 near where Washington crossed the Delaware, was swept away by a flood in 1841. The replacement bridge was then swept away by another flood in 1903. The current bridge was still above water but required repair after a flood in 1955. It was rehabilitated again in 1994 and is now owned and operated by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.

My neighbor and I decided to experience the bridge at night – to walk along it’s outer walkway at midnight, when nary a car passes over the bridge; when all is still and the river silent. The architecture of the bridge, lit at night, is remarkable.  The lights on the trusses create a display of colors, angles, shapes, and shadows that is mesmerizing.

I did, however, mention spiders. From what I remember (I’ve tried to block this one aspect of the evening from my memory), the beams of the bridge superstructure have become something of a spider condo complex. I do not recall one section of beam that did not have multiple spider families living in their intricate condo webs.                           

But if you can overlook the spiders and you do go, when you get to the middle of the bridge, look south. The view is so relaxing that, if we had had chairs with us, we probably could have fallen asleep. In fact, looking down at the water, there was actually a gaggle of geese asleep in the water (whether or not they had looked south and it was in fact a cause and effect I can’t say for sure), but I highly recommend you make the trip!

Editor’s note: Welcome to “Have you ever…,” a new MercerMe monthly column by Kim Robinson (see bio, below). Each month, Kim will bring you a fresh look at a local landmark with a bit of history, a bit of her experience there, and some of her stunning photography.