YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) – A bridge in York County that we told you about earlier this month could be replaced sooner than expected.
The trip to the other side of the Muddy Creek Forks Road bridge in southern York County now takes about seven minutes, compared to just a few seconds previously.
It closed last fall.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE > A small bridge, a big detour and big impacts in York County
Josh Zimmerman and the other neighbors have no doubt that the bridge is old and needs to be replaced, but they couldn’t believe it when they were told it was going to happen.
Zimmermann’s workplace, his children’s school – the bulk of his family’s life – is on the other side of the bridge.
The same applies to critical services such as hospitals and emergency rooms.
Our previous story ended on a note of optimism – PennDOT couldn’t promise anything, but hoped to have better news soon.
While it’s still not a promise, PennDOT says they are working with York’s Metropolitan Planning Organization to move forward with replacing the bridge.
PennDOT’s Dave Thompson says this is an example of the system working — if you hear that PennDOT or the agencies want comments on a proposal, then they do — and those comments really influence things.
The next big step, however, would be an MPO vote to fund the project.
Then “we need to do the preliminary engineering and then start the design,” Thompson said.
Then demolition and new construction. Much too early, Thompson said, to predict a new date before the MPO has even voted.
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But if you do the math, it sounds like a new bridge could be ready in a few years, not six.
Zimmermann’s reaction?
“It seems like they are working to fix the problem and secure funding,” Zimmermann said. “They will design the bridge.”
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