Officials concerned work on Columbia St. Bridge could interfere with Schuylkill River Sojourn
Jun. 14—SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Organizers are concerned that construction work on the Columbia Street Bridge might interfere with the running of the 25th Schuylkill River Sojourn.
"Our Take It Outdoors team is there checking out the situation," Schuylkill River Greenways said in a news release Wednesday.
On Saturday morning, more than 100 paddlers in kayaks, canoes and standup paddleboats are scheduled to launch from Island Park, which is upstream from the bridge.
The Schuylkill River channel has been narrowed during construction of the new $4.2 million span, creating a potential bottleneck as the flotilla moves downstream from the island.
The concern comes as work crews began dismantling the old Columbia Street Bridge last Friday after opening the new span to traffic.
On Wednesday afternoon, in an apparent move to clear debris, a large backhoe panned the river bed beneath the bridge.
Borough officials are amazed at how quickly the old bridge was razed.
"I'm shocked at how fast it came down," said Jerry Bowman, Schuylkill Haven borough council president.
Schuylkill River Greenways, Bowman said, could be faced with moving the start of the sojourn to a point downstream of the Columbia Street Bridge.
Or, he added, boats could go through the channel beneath the bridge one at a time.
Leaving Schuylkill Haven on Saturday, paddlers will complete the 112-mile trek down the Schuylkill River on June 23 to Boathouse Row in Philadelphia.
About 240 paddlers will complete all or part of the journey, averaging about 14 to 18 miles a day on the water.
"Schuylkill County is home to the headwaters of the Schuylkill River," Schuylkill River Greenways said in the release, adding, "it's appropriate to start the sojourn there."
Once the debris from the old Columbia Street Bridge is removed, R.E. Pierson Construction Co. crews will begin work on a 11-foot-wide section of the new bridge on the upstream side.
The bridge will have enough space for a sidewalk and for traffic lanes to be widened to 11 feet.
The expected completion date for the project is in 2024.
Contact the writer: rdevlin@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6007
