Here’s a photo of the Upper Hackensack Lift Bridge/HX Drawbridge making way for this morning’s pontoon boat tour. The structure dates to 1911 and is one of the first Heel Trunnion bascule bridges built in the country. The structure was designed by Joseph Strauss, who also drew up the plans for the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

The bridge’s unique design features a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or “leaf,” throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. The bridge also supports commuter trains from New Jersey Transit’s Main Line carrying passengers from Lyndhurst to Secaucus.

The bridge is just one of many interesting sites to be seen on our pontoon boat tours of the Hackensack River and its marshes. For more on our boat tours, click here

For more information on heel trunnion bascule bridges,click here