SCHUYLKILL TWP. — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced that construction will begin on Monday, June 23, on a $1.4 million project to replace the bridge that carries Valley Park Road over Anderson Brook in Schuylkill Township, Chester County.
Motorists are advised of the following travel restriction:
• Monday, June 23, through Friday, August 29, Valley Park Road will be closed and detoured 24/7 between Clothier Springs Road and Anderson Farm Road. During the closure, motorists will be directed to use Whitehorse Road, Route 23 (Valley Forge Road), and Ferry Lane.
Drivers are advised to allow extra time when traveling near the work area because backups and delays will occur. All scheduled activities are weather-dependent.
On Sept. 1, 2021, the existing bridge experienced severe storm damage as a result of flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Ida. The existing bridge is a 15-foot-long, two-lane, single-span stone masonry arch and concrete-encased steel I-beams structure with a bituminous wearing surface. This corridor of roadway is currently classified as an urban major collector.
Storm damage included undermining of the far abutment. Additional damage to the near abutment and the arch requires this structure to be replaced. Temporary repairs have been made to the streambed to keep the roadway open.
Under this project, PennDOT’s contractor will replace the existing bridge with a precast reinforced concrete box culvert. The span length will be similar to the existing span length. The existing horizontal alignment of Valley Park Road will be maintained, while the vertical profile will be lowered to remove the hump on the road at the structure. The approach guiderail along Valley Park Road will also be placed and painted brown.
Lobar Site Development Corporation of Dillsburg, Pa., is the general contractor on this project, which is financed with 100 percent federal funds.
For more information, visit the Valley Park Road over Anderson Brook Bridge Replacement project page.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.
