Pennsylvanians will see some bridge construction in the Lehigh Valley this year as more than $700 million worth of road and bridge work is being done.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has 22 repair projects are lined up with another 15 to begin construction, according to Mike Rebert, PennDOT’s executive director overseeing the Lehigh Valley.
“Investing in our transportation system is essential for this region’s economy,” said Rebert. “And these projects are vital investments in east central Pennsylvania.”
Construction has already begun on replacing the Route 329 Cementon Bridge over the Lehigh River and Canal in Whitehall Township.
Built in 1932, the 90 year-old structure is 575-feet long and 22-feet wide.
According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the structure is in poor condition, and has a posted weight limit of 23 tons.
The new bridge, according to PennDOT, will be a 585-foot long, four-span continuous, prestressed concrete PA bulb-tee multi-beam structure. Richard E. Pierson Construction, based New Jersey, is the general contractor on the $21.7 million project.
There are 47 bridges in Lehigh County that are in poor condition, according to the FHWA.
The state-owned Cementon Bridge, which carries Route 329 and connects Whitehall Township in Lehigh County and Northampton Borough in Northampton County, has devolved to the lowest level weight allowable to keep it open, according to Lehigh County’s director of general services and a member of the Lehigh Valley Transportation Study.
Construction of the bridge is expected to be complete in 2028.
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Source: LehighValleyLive.com
