Images courtesy of the County of Lehigh Public Information Officer

Upgrade Improves 145-Year-Old One; Will Last a Century

 (Lowhill Township, PA) – Construction on a Lehigh County bridge has just been completed, coming as a much-needed replacement for a structurally deficient one that lasted for well over a century. Despite the old bridge’s age, it had no historical significance, and posed as a potential safety concern for hundreds of residents of Lowhill Township. Planning for the project began in 2017.

The Bittners Corner Road Bridge, which runs over the Jordan River, is the only means of entering and leaving a small housing community in Lowhill Township. A third of the project’s two-million-dollar budget was used to construct a temporary road for the residents of the housing community. Approximately 300 vehicles travel on the structure per day.

“This bridge is the critical entrance and exit transportation grid component for the local community.  With the replacement project completed, this bridge will last the community for 100 years, providing them with safe reliable access to their homes,” said Rick Molchany, Director of General Services for Lehigh County.

First erected in 1875, the stone structure ran 148 feet in length, and was sufficient for years, until it began deteriorating. When the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) indicated the bridge had become a public safety concern, a committee was formed to assess whether it would be more effective to repair or replace the structure. It was quickly determined the structure needed to be completely replaced, and by 2018, construction had begun.

 

No local or county property tax dollars were used to replace the bridge. Instead, the county utilized funding from Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Act 44. Act 44 allocates $450 million annually to PennDOT to support the state’s transportation grid. A funding formula gives about $250,000 per year to Lehigh County.

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Joshua Siegel
Public Information Officer
County of Lehigh, Office of the County Executive
17 S. 7th Street, 4th Floor, Suite 436
Allentown, PA 18101
www.lehighcounty.org

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