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A Short Version of Woodlawn Trustees’ Efforts Regarding the 9th Street Pedestrian Bridge:
In 1911, William P. Bancroft, the founder of Woodlawn Trustees, had a plan prepared showing a parkway accross the western part of the City of Wilmington linking Rockford Park with Canby Park. By 1928, the parkway was completed except for a diagonal bridge over the railroad at 9th Street. By the end of the 1930’s, the state highway department wanted this site for a motor vehicle inspection station. As payment for the land, the state was committed to build the diagonal bridge, when the war in Europe and a shortage of steel delayed the bridge. The state built the motor vehicle inspection station on the site.
A new opportunity for a diagonal crossing as originally planned came with the building of this new library. To complete the parkway connection as envisioned by Mr. Bancroft 95 years ago, Woodlawn Trustees had a prefabricated bridge built which is scheduled to be set in place on April 17, 2006. The bridge walkway will begin at the corner lot at 9th Street and the bridge will extend over the CSX railroad and join a promenade walkway passing through the library site to the corner of 8th and Bancroft Parkway. When completed, Woodlawn intends to hand over title to the bridge and corner lot to the City. The City has agreed to maintain the bridge and walkway as part of Bancroft Parkway. The City has received a $250,000 grant from the State Land and Water Conservation Trust Fund to offset part of the construction costs. The pedestrian bridge will become a vital link in this segment of the Delaware greenway system and provide safe access to the new library for adjoining neighborhood residents.
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