This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

Arcola Road Bridge Project Moves Forward

The bridge will be closed for about a year during construction, which could begin as early as the end of 2014.

An $8 million project to replace the Arcola Road bridge connecting Lower Providence to Upper Providence will begin as early as the end of 2014.

County planning officials met in late March with engineers from Philadelphia-based McCormick Taylor to review plans for the bridge, according to Leo Bagley, assistant director of the Montgomery County Planning Commission.

Bagley said at an April 4 meeting of the county's Board of Commissioners that the county is in the process of purchasing the required easements and rights of way in the construction zone. Those transactions are expected to be completed by summer 2014.

Find out what's happening in Lower Providencewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Asked how long the bridge would be closed for the reconstruction, Bagley on Monday said "at least for the [2015] construction season," but that a full year would be more likely.

The bridge, which currently has a three-ton load limit, will not be subject to load restrictions after the replacement, Bagley said.

Find out what's happening in Lower Providencewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

About 80 percent of the project will be paid for by Federal Transportation Improvement Program funds, with another 15 percent coming from the state and the remainder from county funds, Bagley told the county commissioners.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?