Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the East High Street Bridge topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
PennDOT outlines short-term repairs for East High Street Bridge; township presses for sidewalk
Summary
PennDOT told Lower Pottsgrove officials a roughly $100,000 repair could extend the East High Street Bridge's life 3–5 years; a full replacement would take longer and likely not begin before Route 422 work completes in 2028. The township asked that at least one sidewalk be added and noted utility complications.
PennDOT representatives, township staff and state legislators outlined a short-term repair plan for the East High Street Bridge at a May 15 Lower Pottsgrove Township Board of Commissioners meeting, while commissioners pushed for a pedestrian sidewalk as part of any work.
Township Manager Edward C. Wagner said PennDOT proposed a repair estimated at about $100,000 that would preserve the existing structure, likely tear the bridge down to its stone arches and rebuild using control-fill concrete. PennDOT officials told the meeting the repair should extend the bridge's useful life three to five years; a complete replacement would be a much longer project and is unlikely to begin before Route 422 construction finishes in January 2028. Wagner said a full replacement would also require about a 12-month shutdown of the crossing.
"Fifteen thousand cars travel the High Street Bridge daily," Wagner said, describing why PennDOT and county planning partners attended the meeting. He said PennDOT will hire a consultant and coordinate follow-up meetings with the Montgomery County Planning Commission, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and township officials.
Commissioner Robert Mohollen said he was pleased the meeting produced a different, more cost-conscious approach than earlier options, and urged that at least one sidewalk be added to benefit pedestrians traveling to the hospital, Wawa and other destinations. "I would like to see a sidewalk added to at least one side of the bridge if possible," Mohollen said.
Manager Wagner cautioned that utilities are a complicating factor: a leaking gas line under the bridge will require PECO to address gas infrastructure, and electrical poles ownership is split between PECO and MetEd in nearby areas, complicating any work that affects poles or lighting. Wagner also noted the repairing approach could give the structure another 100 years of life if done as discussed.
PennDOT's short-term repair plan is intended as an interim measure while longer-term options are developed; officials said they will return in two to three months with more details after consultant work begins. The township said it will continue to press for pedestrian access and coordinate utility fixes as part of project planning.
