Tatamy Bridge Opening Slated for June

A long-closed motorist route may be opening soon.

The old, broken-down bridge that connects Main Street in Tatamy with Uhler Road in Forks Township may finally be repaired and open possibly by June 30, Palmer Township Supervisors Chairman Dave Colver said.

"There's concrete in the ground and beams," Colver said. "I think it could be around June 30."

Work started on the bridge last year when construction workers sliced through the steel bridge supports with a torch, which then allowed the crane operator to lift bridge beams off their concrete support pillars.

The bridge was closed in May 2011 when a hole in the road deck expanded.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has not provided an update on when the new bridge will be completed.

The Forks Township Board of Supervisors also recently asked its engineer for an update at a recent meeting, but none was known.

The project has been delayed multiple times due to fish spawning and lead paint. The Bushkill Creek is known for its trout supply.

The demolition is being handled by Empire Wrecking Co. of Reading. The crane operation was handled by Dickenson Crane Service, also of Reading.

Bi-State Construction in Forks Township is handling the construction of the new bridge. Its design hasn’t changed since PennDOT provided the specs on it a year ago, an official said. The new bridge will be 195 feet long and 42.5 feet wide. The old bridge was 189 feet long and 22 feet wide. Both bridges were designed for two-lane traffic.

Palmer officials are taking an interest in the bridge since it will help provide greater access to Forks Township once the Route 33 Interchange project is completed in late 2014.