cted ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁city - side ▁sp ans ▁to ▁separate ▁the ▁carriage way ▁and ▁ped est rian ▁walk way . ▁For ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁bridge , ▁a ▁tim ber ▁cur b ▁separated ▁the ▁two ▁paths . ▁The ▁edges ▁of ▁the ▁bridge ▁had ▁a ▁ ▁orn amental ▁iron ▁f ence ▁to ▁keep ▁people ▁or ▁carri ages ▁from ▁falling ▁into ▁the ▁river . ▁Co al ▁gas - lit ▁l am pp ost s ▁providing ▁light ing ▁along ▁the ▁bridge . ▁F ences ▁l ined ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁road way ▁on ▁the ▁south western ▁ab ut ment ▁to ▁prevent ▁carri ages ▁from ▁driving ▁off ▁the ▁emb ank ment . ▁ ▁The ▁bridge ▁was ▁served ▁on ▁its ▁city - side ▁by ▁Pennsylvania ▁Avenue . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁a venue ▁was ▁p aved ▁only ▁to ▁within ▁ ▁of ▁the ▁bridge , ▁c ement ▁side wal ks ▁on ▁both ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁a venue ▁provided ▁improved ▁ped est rian ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁bridge . ▁Kentucky ▁Avenue ▁SE , ▁which ▁met ▁Pennsylvania ▁Avenue ▁SE ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁bridge , ▁was ▁grad ed ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁bridge ' s ▁dedic ation . ▁East ▁of ▁the ▁river , ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Maryland ▁constructed ▁a ▁new ▁road ▁along ▁the ▁old ▁Upper ▁Mar l bor o ▁Turn pi ke ▁to ▁link ▁to ▁Pennsylvania ▁Avenue ▁SE . ▁To ▁many ▁obser vers , ▁however , ▁the ▁bridge ▁seemed ▁isolated . ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁no ▁homes ▁close ▁to ▁either ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁structure , ▁and ▁the ▁area ▁on ▁east ▁side ▁was ▁mostly ▁go