Concrete beams made locally for new Schuylkill Haven bridge

Dec. 13—SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Weathering the cold Monday, workmen from R.E. Pierson Construction Co. put the finishing touches on three concrete abutments for the new Columbia Street bridge.

The abutments, set in the Schuylkill River and on its banks, will anchor the $4.2 million bridge.

Meanwhile, preparations are being made to deliver precast concrete beams that will be set on the abutments.

Northeast Prestressed Products in Cressona manufactured 12 beams that will support the decking on the new bridge.

"They're finished," said NPP operations manager Andrew Fink, "and they're scheduled to be delivered on January 16."

Reinforced with steel cable, the 71-foot spread box beams are 4 feet wide and weigh 27 tons each.

Placed six abreast, when combined end to end, the dozen beams will comprise the basis for the 140-foot-long bridge.

NPP officials are trying to figure out the best route by which to deliver the beams to the bridge at Columbia and Main streets.

A PennDOT spokesman said the project is proceeding on schedule toward its planned completion in mid-2024.

A new era

Work in earnest on the new bridge began in June, when an excavator stripped the river banks of vegetation.

Erosion and sedimentation controls were placed along the waterway, and several structures on the west side of the river were demolished. The former Geary Shoe Store, a Schuylkill Haven landmark, was among the buildings razed.

Construction on the old bridge, a 137-foot-long double arch span, was begun in 1921 and completed in 1922. It was built by the Concrete and Steel Bridge Co. of Clarksburg, West Virginia, according to a plaque on the bridge.

A key artery in crosstown traffic, PennDOT has kept the old bridge open during construction of the new span.

A sturdy structure, the old bridge has withstood a century of storms and floods, including Tropical Storm Agnes in 1972.

Time has taken its toll, however, and the bridge's concrete surface is crumbling with age.

PennDOT, which is responsible for the bridge, decided to replace it with a new span constructed on the downstream side.

The state purchased several properties and negotiated easements with others on the western side to make way for the new bridge.

When the new bridge is completed, the old one will be torn down.

The project includes upgrading of traffic signals at Columbia and Berne streets.

There will be a left-turn arrow for westbound traffic turning south on Berne Street, near the Turkey Hill Minit Market.

Contact the writer: rdevlin@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6007