New concrete beams were recently set over Phoenixville’s Pickering Creek for the new Valley Forge Road Bridge, but local elected officials are far from beaming about the glacial pace of construction.
Armed with “horror stories” from constituents, State Rep. Warren Kampf and Sen. Andy Dinniman just finished an aggressive prodding of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation leaders that resulted in financial incentives for finishing early and a deal with contractor J.D. Eckman to quicken the pace of work, according to a Phoenixville Patch report.
“These stories put a face on the massive burden this project has put on so many constituents,” Dinniman said in the article. “I hope they will help urge PennDOT to pursue any and all avenues to expedite its completion.”
The $3.4 million new bridge was originally scheduled to reopen in April 2016; its completion is now set for Nov. 25 or earlier, and Dinniman hopes to drive on it come September — along with the 20,000 other vehicles per day that typically drive over it.
Read more about the construction progress and history of the Route 23 bridge, originally built in 1967, on Phoenixville Patch here.
