Historic Lyttonsville Bridge Closed But Not Forgotten (VIDEO & PHOTOS)
Rusted supports and a deteriorating surface forced the closure of a bridge built in Lyttonsville almost a century ago. The Talbot Avenue structure still represents an historic connection between the Silver Spring community founded by a free black laborer in 1853 and other Montgomery County neighborhoods. The 105-foot-long bridge spans train tracks slated for use by the still stalled Purple Line. MyMCMedia’s Phyllis Armstrong explains why some longtime residents want the old bridge preserved.
Lyttonsville today is a diverse neighborhood with a community center, schools, single-family homes and apartments. Council Vice President Hans Riemer says the options for relocating the old Talbot Avenue bridge have to be worked out with residents. County officials also have to come up with the hundreds of thousands of dollars it could cost to move the bridge and preserve it as an important symbol of local history.
Thank you, mymcmedia. Excellent coverage of a piece of history that will always be remembered by the residents and visitors in Lyttonsville, as well as the surrounding neighborhoods.
Excellent but all-too-brief article and Video by Phyllis Armstrong on the history of Talbot Ave. Bridge for residential Lyttonsville historically-Black (founded pre Civil-War) community. Talbot Ave. Bridge closure about a month or so ago appears to be final and a replacement bridge is not expected to be built for several years from now. This unduly hampers vehicular travel to and for the neighborhoods on both sides of CSX Railway tracks and prevents rapid access by Fire and Emergency vehicles into Lyttonsville and adjacent neighborhoods of Greater Lyttonsville – Rosemary Hills and Rock Creek Forest. The only remaining bridge between Georgia Ave and these residential communities is via the Lyttonsville Place Bridge from Brookville Road – this bridge is slated to be demolished, then rebuilt as part of Purple Line Light Rail construction by MTA/State of Maryland contractors – timing unknown. This puts Lyttonsville residents at even greater risk of being cut-off all over again from the County and D.C. Metropolitan area. Please write and publish articles on this double-bind created by loss of the Talbot Ave. Bridge and by our County government.
We must help save Living Historic Lyttonsville (including old beams from now-defunct Talbot Ave. Bridge) now faced with traffic congestion and isolation by the Purple Line and County’s so-called Greater Lyttonsville Sector Plan – a Scheme to redevelop all of Lyttonsville Road (the Main Street into Lyttonsville) with re-zoned and much denser new housing that crowds-out Lyttonsvillers.