[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 131 (Friday, September 11, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE 
                            NICHOLSON BRIDGE

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                           HON. LOU BARLETTA

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 11, 2015

  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to help commemorate the 
100th anniversary of the completion of the Nicholson Bridge, also known 
as the Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct. Located in Nicholson, Pennsylvania, 
which I currently represent, the structure has continually served as a 
vital piece of infrastructure, providing my constituents with efficient 
transportation throughout Pennsylvania and New York.
  Led by the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, construction of 
the Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct commenced in 1912. Its completion, 
dedication, and opening for use took place on November 6, 1915. This 
engineering marvel was an integral piece of a larger project known as 
the Clarks Summit-Hallstead Cutoff, engineered in order to shorten the 
rail line between Scranton, Pennsylvania and Binghamton, New York. The 
Clarks-Summit Hallstead Cutoff proved to be a huge success, 
exponentially reducing travel time and subsequently improving 
transportation efficiency. The bridge's role in this effort was 
particularly helpful to the residents of Nicholson, a rural town tucked 
away between Wyoming County and the Endless Mountains of Northeastern 
Pennsylvania.
   In 1975, the America Society of Civil Engineers designated the 
Nicholson Bridge as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark due 
to the bridge's significant contribution to the development of the 
United States, and to the field of Civil Engineering. Furthermore, as 
of 1977, this structural feat was listed on the National Register of 
Historic Places--an honor attributable to its architectural, 
engineering, and transportation significance.
   Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize the Nicholson Bridge as 
it celebrates its 100th anniversary. I know that I speak on behalf of a 
proud community when I say that I am eternally grateful for this 
engineering wonder, and I look forward to the structure's preservation 
over the years to come.

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