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Politics & Government

Newly Formed Hole Forces Early Closure of Tatamy Bridge Slated for Replacement

Newly formed hole forces an earlier closure of the 70-year-old bridge in Tatamy that connects Main Street and Uhler Road.

UPDATE, 9:05 p.m.: Drivers are currently being detoured to 8th Street to Tatamy Road, then to Northwood Avenue and Bushkill Drive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced today the early closure of the Tatamy bridge, which is already slated for replacement, because of a hole that exposes the Bushkill Creek below.

PennDOT had targeted late summer or early fall for work to begin on a new bridge, which would replace the 70-year-old structure that connects Tatamy to Forks Township.

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“Amen and thank God," said Chris Moren, president of Tatamy Borough Council, in response to hearing the bridge would be closed now instead of later.  "It’s time that PennDOT proactively closed the bridge before someone got hurt.  I’ve been worried to death that someone would fall through.”

Sean Brown, a press officer for PennDOT district 5-0, said crews found a punch-through on the bridge's deck work. A punch-through, explained Brown, is like a large pothole that goes through the deck of a bridge, exposing the water below.

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PennDOT has decided not to reopen the bridge until construction begins. Plans for detouring traffic are currently being worked out, according to Brown.

“Instead of spending tax dollars to fix [the punch-through], this just stepped up the closure,” Brown said.

Bi-State Construction Co. received the contract to replace the bridge, according to Ron Young, another press officer for PennDOT district 5-0. The company’s office is on Uhler Road in Forks -- within walking distance of the bridge.

Ed Mylet, an estimator for Bi-State, said that before the company can begin construction, three property acquisitions must be finalized and a gas line owned by UGI must be moved.

“We cannot touch the bridge until that line is dead,” Mylet added.

According to Mylet, he was told the small gas line may be moved a few hundred yards up the Bushkill Creek in the direction of Route 33. Plans for moving the gas line are very preliminary, according to Mylet, because UGI has just started working on plans this month.

“Just doing [the] appraisal took about a month,” he said.

The land acquisitions are needed, according to Young, because the bridge is going to be longer and wider than the current structure.

Young explained that the new bridge will be 195 feet long and 42.5 feet wide. The current bridge is 189 feet long and 22 feet wide. The new bridge, which will have two traveling lanes, should be completed by the fall of 2012, Young said.

Tatamy Mayor Luke Duignam said PennDOT talked about replacing the bridge more than 10 years ago.  Since then, according to Duignam, spots of pavement have continued to chip off, the bridge's steel frame is exposed and the Bushkill Creek's waters can be seen through several holes.

George Achenbach, Tatamy's chief of police, said he called PennDOT twice about the newly formed punch-through on the bridge, adding that on May 2 he saw three PennDOT employees looking over the bridge.

Crews were back on May 3 and the bridge was closed for a short period of time, but no patching of the road surface was done.

Make sure to check back later tonight or tomorrow. Patch will post an update on the traffic detour plans when PennDOT finalizes them.

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