Chester County outlines bridge inventory, inspection rules and funding priorities

At the Feb. 4 meeting the Chester County Department of Facilities presented a departmental spotlight on the county bridge program, laying out the county’s inventory, condition assessments, inspection rules and funding approach.

Eric Quinn told commissioners the county owns 93 roadway bridges, 91 of which are maintained by the county, and that inspections follow the federally mandated National Bridge Inspection Standards (inspection at least every two years for bridges over 20 feet). Quinn said 67 bridges are rated fair or good and 23 are rated poor; three bridges are currently closed, including Allerton Road in East Bradford, which is under construction and expected to reopen in 2026.

Quinn described a prioritization method that weights structural condition (about 55% of the score), scour and foundation concerns, deck condition, serviceability factors such as detour length and average daily traffic, and special design challenges (single-lane historic bridges, utilities and sewer conflicts). He said the county has 18 projects in design and multiple projects slated for construction in 2026; funding sources include federal and state TIP allocations, state retro-reimbursement (commonly 80% state/20% local), Marcellus Shale funds and Act 89 registration-fee revenue, supplemented by liquid-fuels allocations.

When Commissioner Moskowitz raised concerns about trucks striking covered bridges, Quinn said options include installing protective "headache bars," posting height restrictions and relying on design controls — acknowledging aesthetic trade-offs for some historic covered bridges.

The presentation raised no formal action items; commissioners thanked facilities staff and asked follow-up questions about protecting covered-bridge assets and construction timelines.