Caption
The newly opened (June 2022) Safe Harbor Trestle Bridge is worth every penny of the $9 million, offering stunning views of the Susquehanna, Safe Harbor dam, Columbia and Port Deposit Railroad, York County, and the petroglyph covered rocks of Big Indian Rock and Little Indian Rock. Click here if you are interested in a guided tour of the petroglyphs.
It was built in 1905 for the Atglen and Susquehanna Branch (also known as the “Low Grade Branch”) of the Pennsylvania Railroad and constructed to hold two fully loaded trains, including an upper and lower deck. For almost a century, the bridge served as a critical component for economic development in the region. It was abandoned in 1988. The last train to cross it was on December 19, 1989. The upper tracks were removed in 1990. Manor Township acquired the bridge in 2012.
Here are some fun facts about the bridge and project:
- Third highest trestle bridge in the U.S.
- Second longest trestle bridge in Pennsylvania.
- 150 feet high and 1,560 feet long.
- Total project cost: $9 million.
- Required 2,170 tons of concrete
- Restoration began in February 2015.
- Restoration was completed in June 2022.