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54-406: Those early bridges replaced ferry services that had to replace them when they collapsed or were washed away during floods. By the late 19th century a private company had built a toll bridge at the site which proved stable. It was eventually bought by a joint commission established by both states, which abolished the toll. A lawsuit against New York over the construction of the current bridge ended in

108-468: A holding that the state itself could be sued over actions of the commission since that body was not sufficiently distinct from the state, and sovereign immunity did not apply. The bridge crosses the river from New York on its northeast portal to Pennsylvania on its southwest, just downstream from a bend. It is a polygonal Warren through truss steel bridge with alternating vertical members. Three spans, supported by concrete piers and abutments , comprise

162-481: A comprehensive analysis of the Total Societal Cost (TSC) associated with toll collection as a means of taxation. TSC is the sum of administrative, compliance, fuel and pollution costs. In 2000 they estimated it to be $ 56,914,732, or 37.3% of revenue collected. They also found that a user of a toll road is subject to a form of triple taxation, and that toll collection is a very inefficient means of funding

216-569: A dedicated source of funds for ongoing maintenance and improvements. Sometimes citizens revolt against toll plazas, as was the case in Jacksonville, Florida . Tolls were in place on four bridges crossing the St. Johns River, including I-95. These tolls paid for the respective bridges as well as many other highway projects. As Jacksonville continued to grow, the tolls created bottlenecks on the roadway. In 1988, Jacksonville voters chose to eliminate all

270-459: A large farm and into more forests nearby. At an intersection with Bush Road, PA 371 changes direction, heading to the northwest along the Turnpike. A short distance later, the highway heads through the rural farmlands until entering the community of Niagara. In the small community, the highway intersects with PA 247 , where they start a short concurrency. The two routes head northward for

324-633: A public finance economist at MIT, reports that as the fraction of drivers using electronic toll collection increased, typically toll rates increased as well, because people were less aware of how much they were paying in tolls. Electronic tolling proposals that represented the shadow price of electronic toll collection (instead of the TSC) may have misled decision-makers. The general public has additionally endured an increased administrative burden associated with paying toll bills and navigating toll collection company on-line billing systems. Additionally, visitors to

378-402: A region may incur e-toll tag fees imposed by their rental car company. The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 identified and attempted to address a similar problem associated with the government collection of information. Approvals were to be secured by government agencies before promulgating a paper form, website, survey or electronic submission that will impose an information collection burden on

432-669: A second bridge was built in 1821 with a sturdier design. It lasted until 1846 when another flood damaged it too severely to use. Ferries again took over until a covered bridge could be designed and built. The turnpikes ceased collecting tolls around 1850; the companies that ran them dissolved themselves after the Civil War , turning the roads over to the towns (in New York) and townships (in Pennsylvania) in which they were located. Cochecton and Damascus continued to thrive, since

486-484: A short distance upriver, forks off on the north side midway between Cochecton and the bridge. In Pennsylvania the only approach is via Route 371 . Just past the bridge it intersects River Road, which serves the residences and farms along the river upstream to the Callicoon Bridge . The southern continuation of River Road, designated unsigned State Route 1004, intersects an oblique angle 300 feet (91 m) to

540-408: A short distance, until PA 371 splits to the east. PA 371 continues eastward through the rural regions, continuing its way through Mount Pleasant Township. The highway intersects with Township Road 613 (TR 613), where the highway makes a hairpin turn to the south. The route continues to the southeast into a denser portion of Lebanon Township . The route continues for a distance to

594-548: A split at the eastern end of the community. There, PA 371 continues eastward along the Great Bend Turnpike while PA 670 forks to the southeast along the Bethany Turnpike. PA 371 heads eastward through fields until an intersection with "Crossroad", where it turns to the southeast towards the center of Mount Pleasant Township. The highway continues on the southeast pattern for a distance, past

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648-623: The Cochecton–;Damascus Bridge and continues into Sullivan County as CR 114. Records indicate that the alignment of PA 371 was first constructed as a cut from the Delaware River to the community of Great Bend, Pennsylvania , in 1791 through Wayne and Susquehanna Counties. In 1801, the state legislature of New York and Pennsylvania brought up the proposal for the Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike (later

702-552: The Cochecton–Damascus Bridge . It continues into Sullivan County, New York , as County Route 114 (CR 114), which heads east toward New York State Route 97 (NY 97). PA 371 originates as a road cut in 1791 and later used for the Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike in 1806. The new turnpike was finished in 1811 and renamed as the Great Bend and Newburgh Turnpike in accordance for

756-587: The Delaware divides the Catskill Mountains of New York from the lower Poconos of Pennsylvania. The terrain around the river is characterized by rolling hills, rising almost 400 feet (120 m) above its 750-foot (230 m) elevation. Within this context, the two sides differ radically. On the New York side is the river's level flood plain , extending back roughly a thousand feet (300 m) from

810-637: The James River , and the 4.5-mile long James River Bridge 80 miles downstream which carries U.S. Highway 17 across the river of the same name near its mouth at Hampton Roads . In other cases, especially major facilities such as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge near Annapolis, Maryland , and the George Washington Bridge over Hudson River between New York City and New Jersey , the continued collection of tolls provides

864-717: The National Register of Historic Places as the Damascus Historic District. The record for the National Register included the roadway and forty different structures along the roadway for its historical significance. Originally, a short portion of PA 371 was part of PA 170 in the 1928 mass numbering of state highways in Pennsylvania. 83 years after the abandonment of the Great Bend and Newburgh Turnpike (1936),

918-600: The Pennsylvania Department of Highways took over the alignment of the highway for the designation of Legislative PA 371. The route at that point began at an intersection of U.S. Route 11 in Great Bend to the state line on the Delaware River in Damascus. The route remained intact along the turnpike for only eighteen years when in 1954, the Department of Highways truncated PA 371 back to

972-728: The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation as SR 0371 ) is a 23.5 mi (37.8 km) long state highway located in Susquehanna and Wayne Counties . The western terminus is at an intersection with PA 171 and PA 374 near the community of Union Dale in Herrick Center . The eastern terminus is at the New York state line in Damascus Township where it crosses the Delaware River on

1026-508: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey . New York's Court of Claims , which hears civil cases against the state, was not convinced. The statute that created the commission authorized one or both states to enter into contracts to build or repair bridges; it did not give the commission that power. Further, the court said, "[t]he procedure followed and the instruments employed clearly indicate an intention that construction agreement

1080-474: The Revolution . In 1817 construction of the first bridge began; the 550-foot (170 m) wooden structure, supported by a single pier midriver, opened two years later. Due to the patriotic atmosphere that prevailed following the recent War of 1812 , all members of the military crossing the bridge were exempt from the toll. The poorly designed bridge soon collapsed into the river. Ferry service resumed until

1134-589: The Susquehanna River . The turnpike was used for transportation of farmers' goods and stock along with a route for pioneers to use for heading westward. After construction of the original Cochecton–Damascus Bridge in 1817 (and later in 1821), the area around the bridge became a bustling community. The alignment of what is now PA 371 eventually became littered with a large rate of development, with nineteenth-century style buildings constructed in Damascus. The turnpike itself fared poorly later on, and

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1188-432: The "Toll Collect" syndicate after much negative publicity. The term "Toll Collect" became a popular byword among Germans used to describe everything wrong with their national economy. It has become increasingly common for a toll bridge to only charge a fee in one direction. This helps reduce the traffic congestion in the other direction, and generally does not significantly reduce revenue, especially when those travelling

1242-444: The $ 750,000 contract for a new bridge to Thomas D'Angelo, a Binghamton sole proprietor who did business as Triple Cities Construction. It was built 300 feet (100 m) downriver from its predecessor; one of the original abutments remains on the Pennsylvania side and the residential power line across the river still follows the old bridge's path. Construction was completed, and the bridge opened, in 1952. Two years later, D'Angelo sued

1296-478: The Great Bend and Newburgh Turnpike) to connect the Hudson River to the Delaware River. Although the route was finished in New York, the portion in Pennsylvania was not legislated until March 29, 1804. Construction through Wayne and Susquehanna Counties commenced in 1806, with completion of the roadway coming in 1811. At that point, the turnpike was extended onto the cut in Pennsylvania to

1350-478: The approach on the New York side via Cochecton gives traffic from New York State Route 97 , which parallels the Upper Delaware, depends on which direction drivers are coming from. Northbound vehicles are directed off Route 97 a mile (1.6 km) south of the hamlet onto Cochecton Road, which crosses under the railroad tracks and then parallels them past several fields until it ends at County Route 114 in

1404-478: The bank, beyond which the land begins to rise again. Trees line it and there is a small beach just downstream from the bridge. From the tree line are worked fields that end at the railroad tracks currently owned by the Central New York Railroad , with the buildings of the small hamlet of Cochecton clustered around the junction of County Route 114 and Cochecton Road near the tracks opposite

1458-519: The bridge uses the toll to recoup their investment, in much the same way as a toll road . The practice of collecting tolls on bridges harks back to the days of ferry crossings where people paid a fee to be ferried across stretches of water. As boats became impractical to carry large loads, ferry operators looked for new sources of revenue. Having built a bridge, they hoped to recoup their investment by charging tolls for people, animals, vehicles, and goods to cross it. The original London Bridge across

1512-514: The bridge was the only one carrying a road over the Delaware for 30 miles (48 km) in either direction until the 1890s, when the Callicoon Bridge was built. The Damascus Historic District and, on the New York side, Parsonage Road in Cochecton, are both listed on the National Register of Historic Places as they contain many extant buildings from this era. The mid-19th-century bridge

1566-418: The bridge. Across the river, in Pennsylvania, the mostly wooded hills slope steeply to the river. There is a smaller beach just downstream from the bridge as well, where Beaverdam Creek , a minor tributary of the Delaware that rises in the nearby hills, flows into the river. It is the site of a public boat launch . From the portal, Route 371 passes in the narrow gap between two hills, ascending gently into

1620-434: The bridge. The longest of those spans is 224 feet (68 m); the bridge's total length is 684 feet (208 m). Its deck carries a two-lane asphalt roadway 26 feet (7.9 m) wide; there is 14.8 feet (4.5 m) of clearance underneath the overhead support structures. A pedestrian walkway is located on the upstream side. Local utility lines cross the river 300 feet (100 m) north of the bridge. At this point in its course,

1674-420: The center of the hamlet. From Route 97 southbound, which is built into the side of the hills, drivers bear west onto 114 roughly 500 feet (150 m) past the junction with eastbound 114, which ends several miles inland at a junction with State Route 17B . From where both approaches join, they follow Route 114 southeast for 500 feet (150 m) to the bridge's east portal. The road to the previous bridge, located

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1728-554: The community of Herrick Center. The route heads eastward, progressing through rural forests north of Union Dale . PA 371 begins in Susquehanna County , but just a short distance from Herricks Center, crosses into Wayne County . The route heads to the east, but soon begins to curve to the north, entering the community of Belmont Corners. PA 371 becomes known as the Great Bend Turnpike, leaving Belmont Corners at an intersection with PA 670 (Belmont Turnpike). At

1782-411: The development of highway infrastructure. Nakamura and Kockelman (2002) show that tolls are by nature regressive, shifting the burden of taxation disproportionately to the poor and middle classes. Electronic toll collection , branded under names such as EZ-Pass, SunPass, IPass, FasTrak, Treo, GoodToGo, and 407ETR, became increasingly prevalent to metropolitan areas in the 21st century. Amy Finkelstien,

1836-399: The east until an intersection with TR 614 in the community of Cold Spring. In Cold Spring, PA 371 turns to the southeast through deep forests until an intersection with TR 612 and TR 617. There, the forests break, and the route continues to the southeast. A short distance later, PA 371 intersects with PA 191 (Hancock Highway) in the community of Rileyville. There,

1890-420: The end of the eastern pond, PA 371 turns to the northeast crossing a creek and into the community of Tyler Hill . The route heads to the northeast through a small developed portion of the community before turning to the southeast and soon to the northeast again. The route continues to the northeast for a short distance before reaching the Delaware River , where PA 371 ends at the New York state line on

1944-540: The extension to Great Bend, Pennsylvania . The turnpike was abandoned in 1853. PA 371 was originally designated along the turnpike route in 1936 by the Department of Highways from Great Bend to Damascus. The route remained intact until 1954, when the route was truncated back to PA 171 in Herrick Center. The route was replaced by PA 374 and PA 848 in 1961. PA 371 begins at an intersection with PA 171 and PA 374 in

1998-484: The financial stress of lost toll revenue to the authority determining the levy. One such example of shunpiking as a form of boycott occurred at the James River Bridge in eastern Virginia . After years of lower-than-anticipated revenues on the narrow privately funded structure built in 1928, the state of Virginia finally purchased the facility in 1949 and increased the tolls in 1955 without visibly improving

2052-555: The general public. However, the act did not anticipate and thus address the burden on the public associated with funding infrastructure via electronic toll collection instead of through more traditional forms of taxation. In some instances, tolls have been removed after retirement of the toll revenue bonds issued to raise funds. Examples include the Robert E. Lee Memorial Bridge in Richmond, Virginia which carries U.S. Route 1 across

2106-402: The intersection, PA 371 and PA 670 becomes concurrent for a distance. The routes head eastward through the forests in northern Wayne County. A short distance later, PA 371 and PA 670 enter the community of Pleasant Mount, where the alignment becomes surrounded by residences. In Pleasant Mount, PA 371 and PA 670 head eastward as the main street in the community until

2160-416: The one direction are forced to come back over the same or a different toll bridge. A practice known as shunpiking evolved which entails finding another route for the specific purpose of avoiding payment of tolls. In some situations where the tolls were increased or felt to be unreasonably high, informal shunpiking by individuals escalated into a form of boycott by regular users, with the goal of applying

2214-430: The powers allocated. "The Port Authority is a body corporate, with the power to contract, to construct, to borrow, and to mortgage", the court noted. "The Joint Commission has none of these attributes; it is a joint agency of very limited power." Toll bridge A toll bridge is a bridge where a monetary charge (or toll ) is required to pass over. Generally the private or public owner, builder and maintainer of

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2268-474: The river Thames opened as a toll bridge, but an accumulation of funds by the charitable trust that operated the bridge ( Bridge House Estates ) saw that the charges were dropped. Using interest on its capital assets, the trust now owns and runs all seven central London bridges at no cost to taxpayers or users. In the United States, private ownership of toll bridges peaked in the mid-19th century, and by

2322-593: The river, grew so quickly that Sullivan County was formed in 1809. By 1810 it was complete, its route following what is today State Route 17K , the county roads that were once State Route 17 before the Quickway expressway was built, and State Route 17B to County Route 114. On the Pennsylvania side the road continued as the Cochecton and Great Bend Turnpike . Travelers at first crossed the Delaware via ferry services that had existed under royal charters since before

2376-504: The roadway, with the notable exception of a new toll plaza. The increased toll rates incensed the public and business users alike. Joseph W. Luter Jr. , head of Smithfield Packing Company , the producer of Smithfield Hams , ordered his truck drivers to take a different route and cross a smaller and cheaper bridge. Tolls continued for 20 more years, and were finally removed from the old bridge in 1976. Pennsylvania Route 371 Pennsylvania Route 371 ( PA 371 , designated by

2430-412: The route begins to follow the alignment of the Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike . PA 371 continues through rural farmlands until a hairpin turn in the deep forests nearby. After leaving the deep forests, the route re-emerges in Damascus Township 's community of West Damascus. The route heads to the southeast even further into Fallsdale, where it passes two large ponds and several athletic fields. At

2484-429: The same time as the route of the old turnpikes was being added to the highway networks of both states. By the middle of the century the bridge was showing the effect of carrying far more automotive traffic between the states than had been thought possible at the time of its construction, and the commission moved to replace it. In 1950 New York's Department of Public Works , acting on the commission's recommendation, awarded

2538-566: The small center of Damascus . The bridges carries slightly more traffic each day than either the Callicoon Bridge upstream or the Skinners Falls–Milanville Bridge downstream from it. Unlike them, it serves a regional artery—Route 371 connects, via its intersections with other Pennsylvania state highways, the Upper Delaware with Great Bend and other communities at the eastern end of the state's Northern Tier . So

2592-533: The state over unpaid monies arising from the work. The state moved to have the case dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, arguing that he should have really sued the commission as the party which was ultimately responsible for initiating the work. And he could not sue the commission, the state claimed, since it was covered by the sovereign immunity of not only New York but Pennsylvania, which New York had not waived on its behalf and could not waive on Pennsylvania's behalf. It cited similar holdings in cases brought against

2646-593: The toll booths and replace the revenue with a ½ cent sales tax increase. In 1989, the toll booths were removed, 36 years after the first toll booth went up. In Scotland , the Scottish Parliament purchased the Skye Bridge from its owners in late 2004, ending the requirement to pay an unpopular expensive toll to cross to Skye from the mainland. In 2004, the German government cancelled a contract with

2700-422: The turn of the 20th century most toll bridges were taken over by state highway departments. In some instances, a quasi-governmental authority was formed, and toll revenue bonds were issued to raise funds for construction or operation (or both) of the facility. Peters and Kramer observed that "little research has been done to quantify the impact of toll collection on society as a whole" and therefore they published

2754-471: The west. It ends at Milanville , site of the next crossing downstream. In 1801, following the incorporation of the village of Newburgh , the Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike company was formed to build that road, connecting the Hudson River port city with the Delaware Valley and the forest products harvested there. Settlement of the region, previously limited to only a few communities along

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2808-400: Was abandoned in 1853. Although the roadway itself was abandoned, the turnpike corporation that was supposed to maintain the roadway remained intact until 1868, when it was dissolved. Even afterwards, the roadway remained the only physical route in the area until at least the 1890s. On August 14, 1992, the stretch of PA 371 from Galilee Road to the Delaware River was entered into

2862-538: Was between the State and the claimant only", naming neither the commission nor Pennsylvania. The latter indeed shared the cost of construction, but that had no bearing on how D'Angelo got compensated. The court distinguished the case from those against the Port Authority. First, the case had not been brought against the commission, so the analogy failed. Second, the statutes creating the agencies differed greatly in

2916-577: Was still in use, the oldest bridge then on the Delaware, when it was washed all the way down to the Narrowsburg–Darbytown Bridge , then the rail bridge at Tusten , in the floods of 1902. Its replacement was a steel bridge that served all the way through the creation of the New York–Pennsylvania Joint Interstate Bridge Commission in the 1910s, which gradually acquired the bridges and made them free at

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